Which is considered the worst industrial accident in United States history?

Texas City Disaster

On 16 April 1947, the SS Grandcamp, loaded with 8,500 short tons (7,700 t) of ammonium nitrate, exploded in port at Texas City, Texas. 581 died, over 5,000 injured. Using standard chemical data for decomposition of ammonium nitrate makes this equivalent to 2.7 kilotons of TNT exploding. The US Army rates the relative effectiveness factor of ammonium nitrate, compared to TNT, as 0.42. This conversion factor makes the blast equivalent to (0.42)7,770 tons, or 3.2 kilotons of TNT, with the discrepancy between the total energy and relative effectiveness value of the explosive power being due to direct comparisons between high explosives not being as simplistic as comparing total internal energy of each high explosive.

This is generally considered the worst industrial accident in United States history.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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21 Comments

Bob Blumrick

When the Grandcamp went up, it annihilated the Texas City Fire Department, blew two small planes out of the sky, and ignited another ship, the High Flyer with a similar cargo, and it exploded the following day. The ammonium nitrate created a strange orange smoke, and people flocked to the docks to see. My grandpa was stationed at the naval blimp base in nearby Hitchcock and responded. He told us they came upon bodies and body parts a mile out from the dock area. Check it out on YouTube. A school librarian actually filmed it from the Pelican Island bridge. Terrifying.

Joanne Serin

I never heard of any of these. I thought 3-Mile Island and Exxon Valdez should have been included.

Judy Susag Cardwell

Bob Blumrick, Great information Thanks

kite005

Wow, the video from the Beirut explosion looked big at 2,750 tons.

kotakat

I grew up bouncing between North Texas and Southeastern Oklahoma. My family would still "whisper" about the Texas City disaster. So, I knew the answer as soon as I saw the question. Yes, the Oil Spills were horrific environmentally, there is never any doubt about that. But, the Texas City disaster annihilated a CITY, killed over 500 people and it took them over a decade to recover!

bsreagan

Never have heard this. Thank you.

sharalp

Interesting. Sad that there have been so many disasters.

L Lh Adams

I have been to Texas City and the actual site of the huge anchor that landed a long way from where the ship exploded. The Public Works building was built behind the anchor,or at least it was there 40 years ago.

Jas Newman

Fran Graybowski , More people have died in Ted Kennedy's back seat than at Three Mile Island.

Ron Dunagan

Fran Graybowski , And how many people died at 3 Mile Island? ZERO

Fran Graybowski

Three Mile Island?

Mic Fenst

Corey Taylor, What do you mean by "looked all over?" A simple web search for Exxon Valdez" will turn up several pages of results.

earlepg

Regretably, I didn't recognize any of the names, so had to consult with the majority as my best source. Thankfully they were right.

Marianne Frederick Halterman

The Exxon Valdez was a terrible accident maritime, no human lives were lost, but 4 people died associated with the cleanup effort. The the clean-up operation took around three years from 1989 to 1992 and results are still being monitored. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, also horrific, was an industrial disaster that began on 20 April 2010, 11 people were killed, animals, fish and birds died as well, shoreline from Louisiana to Texas, 1300 miles damaged. If that's not awful, what is?

Corey Taylor

Strange, I looked all over and couldn't find the Exxon disaster in Prince William Sound.

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Which is considered the worst industrial accident in United States history?

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