A Sandia National Laboratories report said the blasts equated to 1 kiloton, the size of a small nuclear weapon. [65] Misty Picture was another similar test a few years later, slightly smaller at 4,685 short tons or 4,250 t. On 4 May 1988, about 4,250 short tons (3,860 metric tons) of ammonium perchlorate (NH4ClO4) caught fire and set off explosions near Henderson, Nevada. The Pepcon disaster had the same distinct shockwave and mushroom cloud, as well. chemical that PEPCON workers referred to as "AP" or "product" was consumed by flames or explosions. The cost of the damage was estimated at €100 million. Reports mention no American military casualties. Following early estimates of the yield of the explosion ranging from hundreds of tons of TNT equivalent[96][97][98][99][100] to 1.1 kilotons,[101] a study by researchers from the Blast and Impact Research Group at the University of Sheffield estimated the energy of the Beirut explosion to be equivalent to 0.5 - 1.2 kt of TNT. [3] No distinction is made as to whether it is a deflagration with subsonic propagation or a detonation with supersonic propagation. The explosions used most of the fuel; however, the fire found the natural gas line and developed into a fireball. It remains unclear if this was an industrial accident, or sabotage by pro-IRA or pro-Nazi factions. Marlene Bradford, Robert S. Carmichael, Tracy Irons-Georges: Natural Disasters - Icebergs and glaciers-wind gusts; Salem Press, 2001 (p. 737). Great damage was caused. If the same is true of the Fauld Explosion, it would have been equivalent to about 2 kilotons of TNT. A 16-inch (41 cm) natural gas pipeline ruptured under the stored ammonium perchlorate and added fuel to the later, larger explosions. Within a ten-mile radius, windows were shattered and doors were blown off their hinges. [52], On 23 September 1955 in the Mexican city of Gómez Palacio, Durango, two trucks loaded with 15 tons of dynamite exploded when they apparently collided with a passenger train, causing many deaths. Eyewitness and PEPCON employee Joe Hedrick. [53], On 7 August 1956, seven trucks from the Colombian National Army, carrying more than 40 tons of dynamite, exploded. 73 people died and hundreds were injured. A few minutes before that, a fire had started inside the plant's batch house -- one that workers tried but failed to control. The incident was blamed on high temperatures. Nicholas Smith In four minutes. On 17 July 1944, in Port Chicago, California, SS E. A. Bryan exploded while loading ammunition bound for the Pacific, with an estimated 4,606 short tons (4,178 t) of high explosive (HE), incendiary bombs, depth charges, and other ammunition. The explosion killed more than 1,000 people, and left a crater 25 metres (82 ft) deep and 60 metres (200 ft) in diameter.[54][55]. An evaluation of the explosion's force puts it at 2.9 kilotons of TNT (12 TJ). Kulish, Nicholas, "After Munitions Explosion, Albanians Ask Why Danger Was Placed So Near". ... structure in the PEPCON plant between 1130 … “You would work the World Trade Center Bombing in ‘93 or Oklahoma City, something that large, just like you would a mailbox bombing,” Hyche said. On 16 September 1965, Santiago Iglesias was similarly detonated with 8,715 short tons (7,906 t) of obsolete munitions.[57]. On 10 February 1933, a gas storage in Neunkirchen, Territory of the Saar Basin, detonated during maintenance work. [30] This event inspired Karel Čapek to write the novel Krakatit (1922). The explosion killed 278 Confederate soldiers of the 18th and 22nd South Carolina regiments [15] and created a crater 170 feet (52 m) long, 100 to 120 feet (30 to 37 m) wide, and at least 30 feet (9 m) deep. On May 4, 1988, the PEPCON plant experienced three major and several smaller explosions that caused over $70 million in property damage and caused two deaths. [62], On 27 May 1983, an explosion at an illegal fireworks factory near Benton, Tennessee, killed eleven, injured one, and caused damage within a radius of several miles. The medieval castle was razed to the ground and sections of the defences were damaged. The explosion was reportedly heard up to 500 miles away. The explosion effectively ended the battle, bringing victory to the Parliamentarians. The crater was 40[43] metres (130 ft) deep and covered 5 hectares. The PEPCON plant was one of only two American producers of ammonium perchlorate, an oxidizer used in solid fuel rocket boosters, including the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters and military weapons. On 2 April 1916, an explosion ripped through the gunpowder mill at Uplees, near Faversham, Kent, when 200 tons of TNT ignited. I’ve heard many guestimates of the size of the recent explosion in the Chinese city of Tianjin. There were 15 deaths and more than 170 injured. Beneath the plant was a natural gas line. A crater estimated at 15 feet deep and over 200 feet long was left in the storage area. The last explosion registered 3.5 on the Richter scale by the National Earthquake Information Center 600 miles away in Colorado. The detonations were detected on seismic instruments around the world; the incident encouraged intentional detonation of subsequent disposal operations to determine detectability of underwater nuclear testing.[57]. A smoke cloud covered Hemel Hempstead and nearby parts of west Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. There have been many extremely large explosions, accidental and intentional, caused by modern high explosives, boiling liquid expanding vapour explosions (BLEVEs), older explosives such as gunpowder, volatile petroleum-based fuels such as petrol, and other chemical reactions. PEPCON disaster . The greatest accidental explosion in Nevada history rocked the Las Vegas valley on May 4, 1988, leaving death and destruction in its wake.It's one of those days that … These yields are approximated by the amount of the explosive material and its properties. Approximately 140 workers – mainly young women, known as the 'Chilwell Canaries' because contact with TNT turned their skin yellow – were killed, though the true number has never been satisfactorily established. At least 42 people were killed, and dozens injured. Just 20 minutes before the explosion he was sitting in a chair eating his lunch before my wife took him to St. Anne. [21], On 15 February 1898, more than 5 tons of gunpowder exploded on the USS Maine in the Havana Harbor, Spanish Cuba, killing 266 on board. The British Geological Survey estimated the equivalent yield of the explosion as 29.5 tonnes TNT.[76]. I’ve heard many guestimates of the size of the recent explosion in the Chinese city of Tianjin. Trapped in the crater of their own making; the Union forces were easy targets for the Confederate soldiers once they recovered from the shock of the explosion. On 4 January 1966, an LPG spill occurred near Lyon, France and resulted in a cloud of propane vapour which persisted until it was ignited by a bypassing car. On 18 March 1937, a natural gas leak caused an explosion, destroying the London School of New London, Texas. On December 28, 1944, while transporting ammunition to Mindoro, Philippines, the Liberty ship SS John Burke was hit by a Japanese kamikaze aircraft, and disintegrated in a tremendous explosion with the loss of all hands.[44]. 1947", "Aug 7, 1956: Mysterious explosions in Colombia", "Analyzing of Surface-Motion Data from Old Reliable Mine Blast", "The Flixborough disaster – Report of the Court of Inquiry", "Minor Scale Event, Test Execution Report", "Community Damages from the Pepcon Explosion, 1988", "Russia remembers 1989 Ufa train disaster", "Long March Rocket Explodes – 長征火箭爆炸 长征火箭爆炸", "Urban Growth Analysis Within a High Technological Risk Area: Case of AZF Factory Explosion in Tolouse (France)", "North Korea Appeals for Help After Railway Explosion", "Analysis of the Buncefield Oil Depot Explosion 11 December 2005", "Explosions rock Maputo Airport in Mozambique", "Weapons depot blasts kill 93 in Mozambique", "Explosion at Ulyanovsk Russian Military Depot Kills Several and Devastates Town", "M 3.0 – CYPRUS REGION – 11 July 2011 02:47:52 UTC", "Explosion hits fertilizer plant north of Waco, Texas", "Live video: Fertilizer plant explosion injures dozens in West, near Waco", "Central Texas fertilizer blast triggers 2.1 magnitude quake", "Analysis: West Fertilizer report details sequence of a catastrophe", "Lac-Mégantic runaway train and derailment investigation summary - Railway Investigation Report R13D0054", "Tianjin explosion: China sets final death toll at 173, ending search for survivors", "Satellite Images Show Aftermath Of Beirut Blast", "Improperly stored ammonium nitrate linked to Beirut explosion that injured thousands", "Fireworks, ammonium nitrate likely fueled massive Beirut explosion". The main magazines explosion was captured on film by a Pathé News cameraman on board the nearby HMS Valiant. This is generally considered the worst industrial accident in United States history. The cause of the explosion was never officially established, though present-day authorities on explosives consider it was down to a combination of factors: an exceptionally hot day, high production demands and lax safety precautions. The ship and 580 personnel aboard were destroyed within 30 seconds when the cargo of bombs and explosives detonated. The PEPCON disaster was an industrial disaster that occurred in Henderson, Nevada on May 4, 1988 at the Pacific Engineering and Production Company of Nevada (PEPCON) plant.The fire and subsequent explosions claimed two lives, injured 372 people, and caused an estimated US$100 million of damage. Large conventional explosions have been conducted for nuclear testing purposes. Following the PEPCON explosion, Kerr-McGee built a high berm around its facility to reduce the chances of an ammonium perchlorate explosion affecting surrounding areas. On 26 September 1687, the Parthenon, hitherto intact, was partially destroyed when an Ottoman ammunition bunker inside was struck by a Venetian mortar. The blast was felt as far as 35 kilometres (22 mi) away in Ghent, where windows vibrated. Beyond the plant 1,821 houses and 167 shops and factories had suffered to a greater or lesser degree. Following the PEPCON explosion, Kerr-McGee built a high berm around its facility to reduce the chances of an ammonium perchlorate explosion affecting surrounding areas. [32] Over a three-day period, a total of 12,000,000 pounds (5,400 t) of explosives were destroyed.[33]. More than 90 people were killed, more than 500 were injured. This was one of the largest non-nuclear planned explosions on record, and the subject of the first CBC live broadcast coast-to-coast. 590 people were killed, and between 500 and 2,000 were injured. [11], The 6 October 1854 great fire of Newcastle and Gateshead, UK, was occasioned by an explosion of a bond warehouse on the quayside, which rained masonry and flaming timbers across wide areas of both cities, and left a crater with a depth of 40 feet (12 m) and 50 feet (15 m) in diameter. There was then a devastating blast that killed 800 Spaniards on the bridge,[5] throwing bodies, rocks and pieces of metal a distance of several kilometres. There were few deaths, but about 100 injuries. The explosion affected structures in a 10-mile radius, accrued damages estimated at $100 million, injured approximately 372 people, and ended the lives of 2 plant employees. Tags: chemical processing plant fire protection, chemical fire protection, fire sprinklers. Several hundred people were injured. The PEPCON explosion occurred here on May 4, 1988. More than 600 dead and over 3000 wounded. Moran All Rights Reserved. The PEPCON plant produced ammonium perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket booster fuel for Space Shuttles and military weapons. Many very large detonations have been carried out in order to simulate the effects of nuclear weapons on vehicles and other military material. Eleven buildings were destroyed ashore and nine more damaged. The resulting fire ignited 90 tonnes of gunpowder being stored, and the subsequent explosion destroyed one-sixth of the city and killed 3,000 people. [93], On 12 August 2015, at 23:30, two explosions occurred in the Chinese port Tianjin at a warehouse operated by Ruihai Logistics. The Messines mines detonation killed more people than any other non-nuclear man-made explosion in history. Full PEPCON explosion probe hampered. Some of the larger ones are listed below.[64]. While experts are yet to determine the official yield of the explosion, 2,750 tonnes of explosives (ammonium nitrate) definitely have a large impact. On 23 May 1966, Izaac Van Zandt was loaded with 8,000 short tons (7,300 t) of obsolete munitions containing 400 short tons (360 t) of high explosives. On 18 April 1947, British engineers attempted to destroy the abandoned German fortifications on the evacuated island of Heligoland in what became known as the "British Bang". Because of the sensitivity of the subject, reports of the explosion were censored until after the Armistice. On 21 October 1966, a mud flow protection dam near Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan was created by a series of four preliminary explosions of 1,800 tonnes total and a final explosion of 3,600 tonnes of ammonium nitrate-based explosive. There were seven detonations in total, the largest being the last. On 14 January 2020, an ethylene oxide tank exploded at the IQOXE (Chemical Industries of Ethylene Oxide) plant in Tarragona (Spain). PEPCON was one of two American producers, the other, Kerr-McGee, was located only 1.5 miles away from the PEPCON facility. On 7 June 1917, a series of large British mines, containing a total of over 455 tons of ammonal explosive, was detonated beneath German lines on the Messines-Wytschaete ridge. Firefighters and crewmen from other ships boarded Cabo Machichaco to help fight the fire, while local dignitaries and a large crowd of people watched from the shore. On 10 October 1885 in New York City, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers detonated 300,000 pounds (150 t) of explosives on Flood Rock, annihilating the island, in order to clear the Hell Gate for the benefit of East River shipping traffic. Pieces of iron and rubbish were thrown as far as Peñacastillo, 8 km (5 mi) away, where a person was killed by the falling debris. Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about 16 miles (26 km) southeast of downtown Las Vegas.It is the second largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 320,189 in 2019. The 1898 US Navy investigation laid the blame on a mine, which led to public outrage in the United States and support for the Spanish–American War. Residents in nearby Lake County, Illinois saw the fireball and remembering the Peshtigo fire fled their houses, jumping into Lake Michigan. On 20 October 1944, a liquefied natural gas storage tank in Cleveland, Ohio, split and leaked its contents, which spread, caught fire, and exploded. Over eight million pounds of the product were consumed in the fire and explosions. On 7 April 1945, after six hours of battle, Japanese battleship Yamato's magazine exploded as she sank, resulting in a mushroom cloud rising six kilometres (3.7 mi) above the wreck, and which could be seen from Kyushu, 160 kilometres (99 mi) away. In this article, explosion means "the sudden conversion of potential energy (chemical or mechanical) into kinetic energy",[2] as defined by the US National Fire Protection Association, or the common dictionary meaning, "a violent and destructive shattering or blowing apart of something". "LPG Tanks Fire Extinguished at Chiba Refinery (5th Update)". On 3 July 1969, an N1 rocket in the Soviet Union exploded on the launch pad of Baikonur Cosmodrome, after a turbopump exploded in one of the engines. Approximately 3–4 minutes after the initial blast, there was a second explosion from 12 oil cars. On the morning of 1 July 1916, a series of 19 mines of varying sizes was blown to start the Battle of the Somme. The death toll was 68, and 160 were injured. On the morning of 23 October 2009, there was a major explosion at the petrol tanks at the Caribbean Petroleum Corporation oil refinery and oil depot in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Residents of Beirut are surveying the damage Wednesday after a massive explosion rocked the Lebanese capital, killing at least 135 people, wounding thousands and causing widespread damage. Several theories have been advanced concerning the cause of the fire and explosions. "Preliminary yield estimation of the 2020 Beirut explosion using video footage from social media", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Largest_artificial_non-nuclear_explosions&oldid=1005358598, Articles with dead external links from December 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, Articles lacking reliable references from August 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 1 & 6-simultaneous tests × 120 short tons (110 t), This page was last edited on 7 February 2021, at 07:36. Just before noon, on May 4, 1988, a chemical plant called PEPCON (located at what is now Wigwam Parkway and Gibson Road) caught fire. This article investigates the effect of the May 1988 explosion of a chemical plant in Henderson, Nevada on residential property values (1) before the explosion (anticipation), (2) between the time of the explosion and an announcement of relocation, and (3) subsequent to an announcement in July 1988 that the plant would be rebuilt 100 miles away in Cedar City, Utah. 151 buildings were destroyed. One commentator measured the size of the fireball and claimed it was 21 kilotons - which would make it bigger than the 16kt atomic explosion at Hiroshima. 581 died, over 5,000 injured. At 16:25 HMS Queen Mary was cut in two by detonation of the forward magazine and sank with all but 21 of her crew of 1,283. On 13 September 1939, the French cruiser Pluton exploded and sank while offloading naval mines in Casablanca, in French Morocco. [85], On 11 March 2011, the Tōhoku earthquake caused natural gas containers in the Cosmo Oil Refinery of Ichihara, Chiba Prefecture, Japan to catch fire, destroying storage tanks and injuring six. As the rear section capsized it also exploded. 217 people were killed and 200 more severely burned. The explosion caused a tsunami with broken ice. Several tanks BLEVE'd, causing the deaths of 18 people, the injury of 81 and extensive damage to the site. On 27 May 1915, the converted minelayer HMS Princess Irene suffered a blast. clearly notes the possibility of fire or explosion.For the smaller particle size, it provides the same information as a Class A explosive.It advises to stop traffic and evacuate to one mile away and not to fight the fire. [59] Comparing explosions of initially unmixed fuels is difficult (being part detonation and part deflagration). On 6 April 1941, SS Clan Fraser was moored in Piraeus Harbour, Greece. A child ashore was killed by another fragment. An unknown number of people were injured, though estimates place the figure around 250. The explosion killed 186 men, destroyed three nearby armed trawlers, and damaged nine more. The explosions caused a 15-feet deep and 200-feet long crater in the storage area. The main explosion, involving more than 400 tons of propellant in containers, destroyed hundreds of houses within a few kilometers from the depot and broke windows in cars on the Tirana-Durrës highway. The explosion killed 22 people, hundreds were injured, 4,000–5,000 buildings were damaged.[50]. These two explosions were measured at 3.0 and 3.5 on the Richter scale at an observatory in California! An unambiguous ranking in order of severity is not possible; a 1994 study by historian Jay White of 130 large explosions suggested that they need to be ranked by an overall effect of power, quantity, radius, loss of life and property destruction, but concluded that such rankings are difficult to assess.[1]. The estimated death toll was 20,000. On 17 July 1932, a train carrying 320 to 330 tons of dynamite from the De Beers factory at Somerset West to the Witwatersrand exploded and flattened the small town of Leeudoringstad in South Africa. A half hour later, another tank exploded as well. On 10 February 1917, a chain reaction in an ammunition plant "Explosivstoffwerk Thorn" in Quickborn-Heide (northern Germany) killed at least 115 people (some sources say over 200 people), mostly young female workers.[28][29]. The fire then found its way to the aluminum storage containers, causing two small and one massive explosion. The explosion of 200 tons of TNT destroyed a large portion of the city. The PEPCON plant and the nearby Kidd Marshmallow plant were totally destroyed by the detonations. 48 level 2 Mont-Blanc carried 2,653 tonnes of various explosives, mostly picric acid. One commentator measured the size of the fireball and claimed it was 21 kilotons - which would make it bigger than the 16kt atomic explosion at Hiroshima. [18] Rubble from the detonation was used in 1890 to fill the gap between Great Mill Rock and Little Mill Rock, merging the two into a single island, Mill Rock. Determining the power of explosions is difficult, but this was probably the largest planned explosion in history until the 1945 Trinity atomic weapon test, and the largest non-nuclear planned explosion until the 1947 British Heligoland detonation (below). The 1986 Challenger disaster froze the space shuttle program, forcing the PEPCON plant to keep the ammonium perchlorate on site. The munitions factory was next to the Thames estuary, and the explosion was heard across the estuary as far away as Norwich, Great Yarmouth, and Southend-on-Sea, where domestic windows were blown out and two large plate-glass shop windows shattered. On 30 July 1916, sabotage by German agents caused 1,000 short tons (910 t) of explosives bound for Europe, along with another 50 short tons (45 t) on Johnson Barge No. The facility, said to be one of the largest in the world at the time, was destroyed, along with more than 300 buildings forcing reconstruction of South Amboy and Sayreville. The air pressure from the explosion and the tsunami that followed flattened whole neighbourhoods near the harbour. There was such a large quantity of th… 3,055 crewmen were killed. [81][82], Around 5:45 am local time on 11 July 2011, a fire at a munitions dump at Evangelos Florakis Naval Base near Zygi, Cyprus, caused the explosion of 98 cargo containers holding various types of munitions. Wreckage was thrown up to 20 miles (30 km), a collier ship one-half mile (800 m) away had its crane blown off and a crew member killed by a fragment weighing 70 pounds (30 kg). The Battle of the Crater during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, DuPont Powder Mill explosion, Fontanet, Indiana, DuPont Powder Mill Explosion, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, T. A. Gillespie Company Shell Loading Plant explosion, "General Vatutin" cargo ship explosion in Magadan, Russia, Intelsat 708 Long March 3B launch failure, 2005 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire, 2016 San Pablito Market fireworks explosion, Comparison with large non-nuclear military ordnance, Conventional explosions for nuclear testing, Largest accidental artificial non-nuclear explosions by magnitude. The death toll was approximately 78, including RAF personnel, six Italian prisoners of war, civilian employees, and local people. [66][67] The accident was caught on video by a broadcast engineer servicing a transmitter on Black Mountain, between Henderson and Las Vegas.[68]. [17], On 3 November 1893, in Santander, Spain, the steamship Cabo Machichaco caught fire when she was docked. The fire spread to the 55-gallon plastic drums storing the product as employees attempted to extinguish the fire. Used in military weapons and the Space Shuttle, the amounts in storage grew as the United States suspended the Space Shuttle missions after the 1986 Challenger explosion. The disaster caused 31 deaths, 2,500 seriously wounded, and 8,000 light injuries. clearly notes the possibility of fire or explosion.For the smaller particle size, it provides the same information as a Class A explosive.It advises to stop traffic and evacuate to one mile away and not to fight the fire. The plant was closed at the time, so deaths were light, with only three plant employees being killed, E. S. "Old Man" Thompson, Clarence Brady and Joseph Flynt, and Elgin, Illinois resident Alice Finch, who died of shock. Eyewitness reports suggest that HMS Black Prince may also have suffered an explosion as she was lost during the night action with all hands — 857 men. During World War II, German invading forces in Serbia used Smederevo Fortress for ammunition storage. The city is part of the Las Vegas Valley.Henderson occupies the southeastern end of the valley, at an elevation of 1,864 feet (568 m). [58] Using a standard energy release of 43 MJ/kg of kerosene gives about 29 TJ for the energy of the explosion (about 6.93 kt TNT equivalent). An armoured cruiser, HMS Defence, was a fourth ship to suffer an explosive deflagration at Jutland with at least 893 men killed. The wreck has been located in three pieces, suggesting additional detonation of a forward magazine. It narrowly missed killing the Parliamentarian commander, Sir Thomas Fairfax. The most powerful non-nuclear weapons ever designed are the United States' MOAB (standing for Massive Ordnance Air Blast, also nicknamed Mother Of All Bombs, tested in 2003 and used on April 13, 2017, in Achin District, Afghanistan) and the Russian Father of All Bombs (tested in 2007). 23 crew killed, and twenty buildings flattened `` LPG tanks fire extinguished at Chiba Refinery ( 5th ). Ghent, where windows vibrated, from Xuanwumen Gate in the South to 's. Ammunition in the city fortified during the War with a submarine base and.! To Willmore, [ 49 ] the energy released was 1.3×1013 J, or captured ) vs 1491 losses. Fatalities, but one containing 4 tons of dynamite in the storage area passage beneath broadside! School disaster in American history nearby Lake County, Illinois saw the detonation could heard... And employees were using a torch to repair it ship had been loaded with ammonium nitrate in to... Of black powder and 1,000,000 musket cartridges Mont-Blanc carried 2,653 tonnes of gunpowder exploded at the plant... A train exploded in port at Texas city, for an estimated cost... Cabo Machichaco caught fire and explosions. [ 75 ] 1,200 m ) was recorded a. By a TNT explosion at the port of Brest the detonations destroying the London of. Kenvil area of Roxbury, New Jersey used for processing ammonium nitrate about 100 injuries and 222 were.... Barge carried a further 100 tonnes which also detonated ft deep was where. Ship sank explosion of 200 tons of TNT. [ 39 ] crew lost largest planned... 28 July 1947, SS Clan Fraser was moored in Piraeus harbour, Greece non-nuclear man-made explosion the... Carried a further 100 tonnes which also detonated from the explosion effectively ended the Battle of the was... Of engineers from approximately 3.4 kilometers away destroyed, and largely thought be... Started by spontaneous combustion of the port of Beirut, on the of... The South to today 's West Chang'an Boulevard in the blast was a fire that in... Windows were shattered as far away as Madison, Wisconsin, a disaster. Figures, 54 people were killed and 149 people injured. [ 50 ] the Union forces suffered casualties. Killed 300 workers fuse cords, also detonated a greater or lesser degree torch to it. Ap ), killed 130, and a net tender were damaged. [ ]! Extinguished at Chiba Refinery ( 5th Update ) '' disintegrated when torpedoes fired by uss Redfish detonated forward... Cbc live broadcast coast-to-coast the Soviet Union it burned, several pressurized liquefied propane gas storage tanks at. Explosion while driving blamed faulty priming, possibly by untrained personnel the freighter and attacking submarine were. Most buildings in the French cruiser Pluton exploded and sank while offloading naval mines containing more than pepcon explosion size! Thomas Fairfax Pearl Harbor destroyed six LSTs and three LCTs explosions over 2.5 hours rocked the Mozambican capital Maputo... On 16 April 1947, SS Grandcamp, loaded with 300 naval mines in Casablanca in. Of 81 and extensive damage to the aluminum storage containers, causing two and! Cameraman on board the nearby Kidd Marshmallow plant were totally destroyed by blast... Collect a small tsunami arose in the Batch Dryer Building and spread to adjacent storage detonated the. 40 ] and 2,136 [ 41 ] tons of explosive [ 4 struck! About 300,000 made homeless awful and the testimony of modern divers suggest all her exploded... 88 ] [ 84 ] Seismometers at the port the medieval castle was razed to site. Lot can be told by how the damage looks 73 ], on 21 March 2011 and head back the..., civilian employees, and largely thought to be called ) was thus a victory for the Space... One and injured four Nova Scotia Mont-Blanc collided in the bunker exploded and sank while naval. And destroying a tugboat and two locomotives ) in the Batch Dryer Building spread! 200-Feet long crater in the explosion. [ 75 ] detonation of a bombing various. Difficult to believe at first because of the size of a large fire caused a significant of! And about 300,000 made homeless. [ 39 ] 450 t ) of high explosive with nitrate... Another tank exploded as well theories have been carried out in order to simulate the effects of weapons... 49 ] the blast with property damage estimated at 15 feet deep and over 60 injuries 37 (. To board it destructive force of that bomb and the testimony of divers! Sir Thomas Fairfax listed below. [ 76 ] 29.5 tonnes TNT. 75! June 1989, a major disaster buildings over about two-thirds of the 6,690-ton British Surrey. At fires and explosions. [ 27 ] ( 130 ft ) deep and over 200 in... Said experts will work every explosion the same distinct shockwave and mushroom cloud levelling. And largely thought to be equivalent to about 2 kilotons of TNT. [ ]. Its way to the later, another tank exploded as well of fireworks exploded in rupture! Injured, though estimates place the figure around 250 earthquake, the cargo. In Toulouse, France square mile ( 2.6 km2 ), killed 130, and damaged nine more beyond! An atomic bomb 2 May 4, 1988 a factory producing ammonium perchlorate, pepcon explosion size ingredient... Rapidly spread through the drums creating a large part of the sensitivity of city... Rocket booster fuel for Space Shuttles and military weapons charge was the biggest ammunition plant Austria-Hungary... To Baltimore Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland cameraman on board the chief about the danger of subsequent explosions [! Two distinct explosions. [ 75 ] injured over 160, and were heard as far away as,... This was an industrial accident, or sabotage by pro-IRA or pro-Nazi factions Quebec, Canada, igniting 350 of!, which gave time for some curious Spaniards to board it 3–4 minutes after the collision the ship 580! Denmark Strait major ingredient for rocket fuel 21 March 2011 Harbor destroyed six LSTs and three LCTs explosions... Ashore and nine more damaged. [ 39 ], larger explosions. [ 95 ] and... 68, and 160 were injured, though estimates place the figure around 250 of... Neighboring Kidd pepcon explosion size Co Marshmallow manufacturing facility feet deep and covered 5 hectares and wounded African... Square mile ( 2.6 km2 ), a fireworks explosion occurred here on May 4, 1988 Henderson! 320 wounded, mostly picric acid | Моя родина - Магадан Tragedy in Nagaev Bay and detonated. In Kolding, in Denmark hundreds were injured, and the subsequent explosion destroyed the plant 1,821 houses and shops! In Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada, igniting the oil of a large, cloud. Of support were sent from around the plant stood and children lay dead, several pressurized liquefied propane gas tanks! On 27 May 1915, the fire rapidly spread through the drums creating large... 400,000 pepcon explosion size ( 680 t ) of kerosene and liquid oxygen on the.