Aggie Bonfire Collapse 1999

Texas A&M University once celebrated an annual bonfire tradition to rally school spirit before football games. But in 1999, tragedy struck when the towering Aggie Bonfire collapsed during construction, crushing 12 students to death.

The disaster sparked a wave of lawsuits and intense scrutiny over safety practices. Facing mounting legal costs and an expected $2 million a year in insurance, the university ended the beloved tradition for good.

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