Texas City Explosion 1947

Texas City in Texas woke up to horror in 1947 when 2,200 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated after a fire broke out aboard the French freighter Grandcamp. The blast, measured to be around 3 kilotons, killed nearly 600 people, injured thousands more, and left the port in ruins. It ripped wings off passing airplanes, shattered windows miles away, and hurled a ship's anchor an incredible 1.5 miles inland.

The explosion flattened the waterfront, set nearby oil storage tanks ablaze, and triggered secondary blasts that burned for days.

Previous Fact Next Fact