Abstract: An improved tar kettle wherein the asphalt or tar is subjected to controlled heating in a closed space so that there is no significant production and escape of fumes, the kettle having a charging cylinder, telescopically mounted within a fixed cylinder on the top of the kettle, to be withdrawn outwardly to receive a charge of solid asphalt and then to be pushed back into the fixed cylinder and rotated through 180.degree. to bring a loading-discharge opening in the charging cylinder into alignment with an opening in the fixed cylinder leading into the tar kettle and thus unloading the asphalt into the kettle without opening the kettle or allowing fumes to escape and also limiting the admission of fresh air into the kettle in order to minimize likelihood of flash fires, the kettle having a combination safety door and baffle, openable in the event of pressure build-up due to any such fire.