The largest non-nuclear wartime explosion took place in which city?
On the morning of 6 December 1917. SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship fully loaded with wartime explosives, collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting the upper Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin. A fire on board the French ship ignited her cargo, causing a cataclysmic explosion that devastated the Richmond District of Halifax. Approximately 2,000 people were killed by debris, fires, and collapsed buildings, and an estimated 9,000 others were injured
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32 Comments
Nicholas Miernicki
The part of that story that always got me, was the telegraph operator, knowing full well what was about to happen, staying at his post and sending out messages to stop approaching passenger trains from entering the city. If I remember correctly, his last message, seconds before the explosion, was simply, "Goodbye".
hector tubens
Cliff Hanselmann, I agree with you. I answer the questions without research and see if I'm right or wrong. What's fun about research and then answering correctly so that your percentage shows you knew 98% of the questions....just my thought.
Joyclin Coates
My great Uncle died in the Halifax Explosion. It was well discussed topic in my household.
james parrillo
Nicholas Miernicki, God bless him.
George Oliver Prince
Threw me on this one, it was a wartime incident, but not an act of war
Howard Groopman
First I've ever read about this.
Lawanta
Nicholas Miernicki, he sacrificed his life to save a multitude of others... VERY HEROIC ✝️
John Bishop
Grew up in Halifax and still live here when I am not working out west know the history well
Martha McDowell
My father used to tell us about this horrific explosion. He said they felt it all the way to New Brunswick.
UNCbsn
Hats off to the telegraph operator who told the incoming train from one of the other cities to delay departure away from the city - lives were saved that way
David Stokes
hector tubens, likewise
Lawanta
Flavio, so very sad 😢
Ken Putnam
Shelley Welch Dunivan,
What do nuclear power plants have to do with the Halifax disaster?
Char
Char, funny I was not even a twinkle in my Dad's eye. Actually he wasn't even a twinkle in his Dad's either..no wonder I don't remember it. I got it right but second guessed me no points for that..
Char
hector tubens, me too if I have questions I look it up after we are all done for the night.
Char
Once again I didn't listen to me....
james parrillo
Joyclin Coates, Oh, no. I nearly chose Halifax. I am sorry you knew the answer from that familiarity with the incident. Thank you, Christine, James's wife
james parrillo
Flavio, How terrible! Thank you, Christine, James's wife
Joe Mangan
@ H S Hotchkiss: One way to get high blood pressure is to go mountain climbing over molehills. — Earl Wilson