List of accidental explosion disasters in WW I

[Helmut0815]

An incomplete chronological list of explosion catastrophes of ammunition facilities & transports due to accidents, not as a result of military actions or sabotage.

December 11th 1915 Gonfreville l'Orcher near Le Havre, France, biggest Belgian Pyrotechnics factory* ~101 to 135 Belgian soldiers dead and one civilian, 1500 wounded (*due to the invasion and occupation many Belgian establishments and authorities were in Normandy)

December 21th 1915: One of the barracks of the Munitionsanstalt Mauritzheide in Münster/Germany caught fire. The facility could be evacuated ready enough before it exploded but at least 6 people got killed and numerous injured by exploding shells and shrapnells. A panic broke out in the city. [Link]

January 11th 1916: The french ammo depot of Dix-huit Ponts explodes for unknown reasons. Casualties: 104 dead, 400 injured. [Memorial]

1st may 1916: La Pallice near La Rochelle, France, factory Vandier & Despret powder magazine ~178 dead mainly military : 143 reservists and 35 civilians

November 8th 1916: The steamer S.S. Baron Driesen loaded with ammutions, explosives and chlorine gas explodes while unloading in Bakaritsa harbour in the district of Archangel/Russia. The officially accepted numbers of casualties were 650 killed and 839 wounded. [Source (pdf)]

January 13th 1917: Explosion of the russian steamer Semen Cheliuskin loaded with 2,000 tons of explosives in port of Ekonomiia, northern periphery of Archangel/Russia causing the explosion and sinking of other ships in the port. Casualties: estimated 400 dead. [Source (pdf)]

January 19th 1917: The munitions factory of Silvertown/East London blows up, killing 73 people and injuring 400 more. [Link]

February 10th 1917: Due to the improper handling of explosives through unexperienced young female workers the ammunitions facilities of Quickborn near Hamburg/Germany explodes. Casualties: At least 220 dead, probably up to 400. [Link]

May 31th 1917: 78 young women died when the ammunition plant (Fürstlich-Lippischen Staatswerkstätten) in Detmold/Germany blowed up. [Memorial]

June 16th 1917: Explosion of Dymanit Nobel ammunitions factory in Steinfeld near Vienna/Austria. Casualties: 6 dead, 30 severely wounded, numerous slightly hurt. [Link]

July 17th 1917: An austro-hungarian munitions train parked at the station of Rudnik nad Sanem/Poland exploded for unknown reasons. Casualties: 59 killed, mainly railway employees and soldiers from the train.

December 6th 1917: After the collision of french ammunitions freighter S.S. Mont Blanc and the norwegian steamer S.S. Imo in Halifax harbour the french ship loaded with 2,925 tons of explosives caught fire and caused one of the biggest non-nuclear explosions in history. Port & city of Halifax were totally devastated and 1,946 persons died. Biggest unintended explosion of all times. [Link]

February 3rd 1918 ; Yzeure near Moulins, France, Atelier de Chargement Shell Worshop Factory 32 dead of which 18 north africans, 200 wounded

March 15th 1918: Explosion disaster in the shell factory of La Courneuve/France. Casualties: 14 dead, 1,500 injured [Link]

July 1st 1918: The National Shell Filling Factory of Chilwell/Nottingham was destroyed in an explosion of eight tons of TNT. Casualties: 134 dead, 250 severely wounded. [Link]

September 18th 1918: Explosion of the ammunitions factory Wöllersdorf, the biggest ammo factory in Austria-Hungary. The explosion resulted in a firestorm that killed 400 - 500 workers, mostly young girls. Numerous were severely injured. [Link]

Any more? Note: Unintended explosion disasters only.


best regards


Helmut

[Terry Duncan]

Interesting subject. Not too sure, I know of one that happened many years later, the mine at Messines that exploded in a thunderstorm decades later in 1955 and reportedly killed a cow!

http://www.firstworldwar.com/today/messinesmine1955.htm

[Helmut0815]

Yes, that poor cow!
But IMHO we should refer to incidents that happened in war time or in the immediate post war period. In my initial post I forgot to say that this thread is dedicated to the almost forgotten victims of WW I; the (mostly female) workers of the ammo plants which worked under dangerous and harsh conditions, the stevedores in the ports and the civil sailors; all these people that got killed in such catastrophes.


best regards


Helmut

[Loïc]

hello

but at least in France there were not only male civilians and/or women in such establishments who were mainly under French Artillery Service branch (Ordnance), they were mixed with military french reservists and military and/or civilians foreign and colonial workers

11th december 1915 Gonfreville l'Orcher near Le Havre, France, biggest Belgian Pyrotechnics factory* ~101 to 135 Belgian soldiers dead and one civilian, 1500 wounded (*due to the invasion and occupation many Belgian establishments and authorities were in Normandy)

1st may 1916 La Pallice near La Rochelle, France, factory Vandier & Despret powder magazine ~178 dead mainly military : 143 reservists and 35 civilians

3d february 1918 Yzeure near Moulins, France, Atelier de Chargement Shell Worshop Factory 32 dead of which 18 north africans, 200 wounded
some pictures of the big hole
http://archives.allier.fr/4136-la-catas ... r-1918.htm

Regards
Loïc

[Helmut0815]

Thanks Loïc, I've added them to the list.

Another catastrophe:

July 17th 1917: An austro-hungarian munitions train parked at the station of Rudnik nad Sanem/Poland exploded for unknown reasons. Casualties: 59 killed, mainly railway employees and soldiers from the train.

best regards

Helmut

[James A Pratt III]

In Russia in 1915 there was an explosion at the Okatensk powder works 200 people killed or missing.

I am not sure but in may 1915 there was also an explosion of a munitions train.

[James A Pratt III]

errata the above mentioned munitions train explosion was also in Russia

[Helmut0815]

In Russia in 1915 there was an explosion at the Okatensk powder works 200 people killed or missing.

Do have any sources for this incident? Couldn't find anything in the www.

Some more:

April 10th 1917: Due to malfunctioning equipment the artillery shell plant of Eddystone, PA blows up, killing 139 female workers. The victims were among the first American casualties of WW I. [Link]

June 13th 1917: The TNT producing Hooley Hill Rubber and Chemical Works at Ashton-under-Lyne caught fire and exploded. Casualties: 34 dead, 120 injured. [Link]

July 10th 1917: An A-H munitions train loaded with sea mines exploded for unknown reasons in the station at Pragerhof (present: Pragersko, Slovenia) , klilling 43 people and injuring 75 more. [Link]

August 24th 1917: Explosion of the gunpowder plant of Kazan/Russia. Casualties: 21 dead, 172 injured. [Link]

October 1st 1917: An A-H munitions train transporting 90 tons of artillery shells exploded for unknown reasons in the station at Loitsch (present: Logatec/Slovenia), klilling 34 people and injuring 75 more. [Link]


best regards


Helmut