Lack of awareness of the dangers from ammonium nitrate despite published guidelines and earlier similar historical tragedies caused the tragedies at the port of Texas City on Galveston Bay. Two explosions of ammonium nitrate fertilizer shattered Texas City and...
Conflagrations Archive
Cleveland Gas Explosion – Ohio – October 21, 1944
In the dying days of World War II inferior materials, because of war shortages, were used to repair a gas tank. It exploded, killing 135 and injuring one hundred others. In the dying days of World War II when...
Halifax Explosion – Nova Scotia – Canada – December 6, 1917
The explosion that ensued was one of the world’s greatest prior to the arrival of atomic bombs. It shattered the port of Halifax and surrounding area. The death toll was 1,600, while 9,000 others were injured, and 6,000 homes...
Monongah Explosion – Pennsylvania – December 6, 1907
Monongah was an exceptional example of the great risks that have always faced miners. While some reduction in risks has occurred as technological improvements are brought into use, the risks still remain at an unacceptably high level. Pennsylvania and...
Chicago Fire – Illinois – December 30, 1903
The theater that was claimed to be fireproof went up in flames shortly after its first opening. Of the 1,900 people in attendance six hundred lost their lives. Chicago’s deadliest fire of the twentieth century occurred shortly after the opening...
Chicago Fire – Illinois – October 8, 1871
A bigger fire, compared with all the previous ones, broke out in the center of the city of Chicago. Inability of firemen to get to the fire quickly gave the flames a quick start from which, aided by a...