10 Most Tragic Workplace Accidents In U.S. History
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The Texas City disaster of 1947 was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history, killing 550-600 people when 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated on a ship in Texas City, Texas. The initial explosion was so powerful that it caused another ship carrying ammonium nitrate to explode 16 hours later. All firefighters and spectators on the pier were killed immediately, along with many workers in the surrounding area. School children over a mile away were injured by flying debris.
10 Most Tragic Workplace Accidents In U.S. History
- 1. ACCIDENTS IN U.S. HISTORY The 10 MOST TRAGIC WORKPLACE TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015 CODE RED SAFETY
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- 4. #10 BOSTON MOLASSES DISASTER DATE: January 15, 1919 LOCATION: Boston, MA DEATHS: 21 INJURED: 150 A storage tank in Boston's north end holding approximately 2.5 million gallons of molasses burst, releasing a wave of molasses that flowed down the street. The wave swept buildings off their foundations, traveling as fast as 35 mph and reaching a height of 15 feet. Witnesses reported a sound like a machine gun when rivets shot out of the tank due to an enormous pressure buildup. This event has given rise to an urban legend that, on hot days, there is still a fain scent of molasses on the air TWEET
- 5. #9 the phillips disaster DATE: October 23, 1989 LOCATION: Pasadena, TX DEATHS: 23 INJURED: 314 During regular maintenance at the Phillips plant in Pasadena, Texas, more than 85,000 pounds of volatile gases were accidentally released through an open valve. A cloud of vapor traveled through the plant and, within 90 to 120 seconds, came into contact with an ignition source. The resulting explosion was the equivalent of 2.4 tons of TNT. The explosion sheared off several fire hydrants at ground level, resulting in low water pressure, inadequate for fighting the fire. There were shut off valves that could have been used to restore pressure to the water lines, but they were out of reach inside the burning wreckage and debris. TWEET
- 6. #8 IMPERIAL FOOD CHICKEN PROCESSING PLANT FIRE DATE: September 3, 1991 LOCATION: Hamlet, NC DEATHS: 25 INJURED: 56 A faulty modification to a hydraulic line ended up causing a fire in the Imperial Food Chicken Processing Plant. Workers were trapped inside the plant and were unable to escape, leading to 25 deaths. The plant had not received a safety inspection in 11 years of is operations. Additionally, because the owner was afraid workers would steal food, the fire door (which had a "Do Not Block" sign on it) was kept locked. The safety violations were so blatant that the owner of the company was given a 20-year prison sentence for this disaster. DONOT BLOCK TWEET
- 7. #7 LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE TITAN MISSILE SILO DATE: August 9, 1965 LOCATION: Searcy, AK DEATHS: 53 INJURED: - At Little Rock Air Force Base in Searcy, Arkansas, a welding rod damaged a hydraulic hose inside of a Titan Missile Silo. This allowed hydraulic vapors to leak and spread throughout the silo. When the vapors came into contact with an open flame, the vapors ignited. TWEET
- 8. #6 GROVER SHOE FACTORY DATE: March 20, 1905 LOCATION: Brockton, MA DEATHS: 58 INJURED: 150 An old boiler exploded inside the Grover Shoe Factory in Brockton, Massachusetts, causing a disastrous chain reaction. The explosion knocked over a water tower, which smashed through the roof of the building and caused one end to collapse entirely, killing some workers and trapping others. The building burst into flames from the explosion and killed several others who were trapped inside. This event led to much more stringent safety laws, as well as a national code governing the operation and use of steam boilers in industrial settings. TWEET
- 9. #5 Pemberton Mill DATE: January 10, 1860 LOCATION: Lawrence, MA DEATHS: 145 INJURED: 166 At about 5:45 pm, the 5-story Pemberton Mill building collapsed, due to strain caused by heavy machinery on the poorly constructed floors. Rescue efforts began and continued into the night, successfully freeing several of the people trapped inside. However, an overturned lantern then set the remains of the building ablaze. Rescue workers and family members at the site report that they could hear the screams of trapped survivors as they were overtaken by the fire. The original mill was constructed poorly, and the brick walls were improperly mortared and supported. In addition, the heavy machinery exceeded the recommended load limits. Another mill was built, and still stands, on the site of the original. TWEET
- 10. #4 TRIANGLE SHIRTWAIST COMPANY FIRE DATE: March 25, 1911 LOCATION: New York City, NY DEATHS: 146 INJURED: 54 When a fire began at an unknown origin on the eighth floor, the fire raced through the factory, feeding on the textiles that filled it. Several doors were locked, trapping workers inside. When firefighters arrived, they found that their ladders and hoses would only reach the sixth floor. There were only two exits off the floor, and one was locked while the other was engulfed in smoke and fire. Several workers attempted to escape the fire by jumping out the windows to the sidewalk eight or nine stories below. No one actually knows what the initial cause of the fire was. The Fire Marshal said that it was likely due to the disposal of an undistinguished match or cigarette in the scrap bin, while a New York Times article claims that it may have been caused by the running of sewing machines. TWEET
- 11. #3 PIPER ALPHA DATE: July 16, 1988 LOCATION: North Sea DEATHS: 167 INJURED: - On an oil platform in the North Sea owned by Occidental Petroleum Corporation, a pressure safety valve was removed for routine maintenance and replaced with a temporary disc cover. However, a miscommunication led to the temporary, hand-tightened disc remaining in place while the pump was started. Gas leaked out of the valve and ignited, causing an explosion that killed 167 men, leaving only 61 survivors. The fire would have burnt out on its own, but the platform was also being fed by two nearby platforms, causing additional fuel to pour onto the fire. As the manager had no permission from the Occidental control center to shut down, pumping continued. A shutdown would have required several days at high cost to restart the pumps, and so the shutdown was not authorized. In addition to the 165 workers killed, two rescue workers also died. TWEET
- 12. #2 PORT CHICAGO DATE: July 17, 1944 LOCATION: Port Chicago, CA DEATHS: 320 INJURED: 390 At the Naval Ammunition Depot of Port Chicago, California, several enlisted men and civilians were loading two cargo ships with munitions for the Pacific Theater during World War II. One of the ships, the SS E.A. Bryan, had been loaded and held 4,600 tons of explosives. The other, the SS Quinault Victory, had just begun loading when an explosion of unknown origin completely destroyed the pier, boxcars, rails, cargo and men, and flung chunks of debris more than 9,000 feet into the air. The explosion was reportedly heard 200 miles away, and it measured a 3.4 on the Richter scale at the University of California. A month later, as unsafe conditions continued, hundreds of servicemen refused to load munitions in what came to be known as the Port Chicago Mutiny. Fifty men were convicted of mutiny and sentenced prison terms. TWEET
- 13. #1 texas city disaster DATE: April 16, 1947 LOCATION: Texas City, TX DEATHS: 550-600 INJURED: More than 2000 A fire was discovered in the engine room of the SS Grandcamp, while workers were loading explosive grade ammonium nitrate onto the ship. An hour later, the 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate detonated. The explosion had such force and burned so hot that 16 hours later, a nearby cargo ship, the SS High Flyer, which was also carrying the highly explosive ammonium nitrate also blew up. All firemen and nearly all spectators on the pier were killed by the initial explosion, as well as workers from the surrounding area. In addition to the dock workers, firefighters, and rescue workers, several school children were injured by flying glass fragments and debris in school buildings about 6,000 feet (more than a mile) away. 63 bodies were never identified and 113 were classified as missing. TWEET