Although safety practices have improved since 1947, uneven relationships between potential system interaction and disaster. Bee may, a survivor of the texas city disaster, displays a photograph of a rubble pile she was trapped under after the explosion in 1947. At the mass funeral service for victims of the 1947 texas. Timeline of important events in the history of texas city1209 3. The disaster started with a fire on board the frenchregistered ss grandcamp, which was docked in the port and carrying approximately 2,200 tons of. To inquire into and investigate explosion and fire on. Timeline of important events in the history of texas. I think this is an excellent addition to any em curriculum as it details success and failure of preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, communications, volunteers. In the foreground, another blanketwrapped body lies on a wooden table. The texas city disaster, 1947 kindle edition by stephens, hugh w download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
The morning of 16 april 1947 dawned clear and crisp, cooled by a brisk north wind. Texas city disaster the handbook of texas online texas. The blast set off a chain of fires as well as a 15foot 4. Apr 18, 20 the images emerging from wednesdays fertilizer plant explosion in west, texas are reminiscent of the texas city disaster an april 16, 1947 explosion that killed more than 500 people. Texas city docks on april 16 and 17, 1947, produced. The explosion and resulting fires killed nearly 600. Texas city disaster devastated community, changed way industry was regulated.
See historic, rare footage of the aftermath of the deadly 1947 explosion in texas city by heather leighton and craig hlavaty updated 12. Texas city library a closeup view of the altar memorial at memorial park in texas city. Texas city disaster simple english wikipedia, the free. Monsanto texas city explosion, my grandfather was an engineer who helped rebuild this plant. Before the west explosion, there was texas city kut. The frenchowned vessel, carrying explosive ammonium nitrate produced during wartime for explosives and later recycled as fertilizer, caught fire early in the morning, and while attempts were being made to extinguish the fire.
A midmorning fire started on board the frenchregistered vessel ss grandcamp docked in the port, and detonated her cargo of approximately 2,200 tons. Fe citizens who survived the texas city explosion of april 16. Texas city disaster records ms 529 rice scholarship home. Guide to the texas city disaster records, 19472003 ms 529. Reflecting on the 1947 texas city disaster new york post. Death on the water front the saturday evening post. Observe the monsanto plant, nearby oil tanks farms, and.
The texas city refinery explosion occurred on march 23, 2005, when a hydrocarbon vapor cloud was ignited and violently exploded at the isom isomerization process unit at bps texas city refinery in texas city, texas, killing 15 workers, injuring 180 others and severely damaging the refinery. The fertilizer manufactured in nebraska and iowa was already overheating when stored at the texas city docks. On the morning of april 16, 1947, the ss grandcamp, surrounded by refineries and chemical plants near the texas city docks, exploded with a force comparable to the. Charles tellus townsend was a local police officer who captured photographs of the aftermath of the texas city disaster in 1947. Texas city disaster records ms 529 rice university. A curated virtual cemetery for names in victims of texas city disaster of 1947. It was one of the deadliest industrial accidents in u. The texas city disaster was an industrial accident that occurred on april 16, 1947, in the port of texas city. The 1947 texas city disaster devastated the bay area. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the texas city disaster, 1947. A wounded survivor of the 1947 texas city disaster, photograph, april 16, 1947. For their disaster response efforts, general of the army dwight eisenhower awarded personal commendations to colonel griffiths and the participating galveston district personnel. Photo courtesy of the moore memorial library and the portal to texas history, veale031. Listen to texas city explosion kills nearly 600 history.
On this day in 1947, more than 500 lives were lost. This book gives an in depth account of the events of the texas city disaster from a distance of 50 years. Texas city, tx april 16, 1947 ammonium nitrate fertilizer cargo ship the morning of 16 april 1947 dawned clear and crisp, cooled by a brisk north wind. Read about how zaragoza lost his two brothers in the explosion and he was saved because it was too far to walk. While there he was able to capture these images on film. Texas city explosion of 1947, industrial disaster sparked by the fire and explosion of the ss grandcamp on april 1617, 1947, in texas city, texas. The texas city disaster was an industrial accident that occurred april 16, 1947, in the port of texas city. In 1962, the city transformed the anchor from the grandcamp blown away from the ship and buried in the ground near the texas city railway terminal in the explosion into a memorial for the disaster. Sep 28, 2018 the 1947 texas city disaster devastated the bay area community 71 years ago. This psa utilizes primary sources in the form of photographs and written accounts taken during the texas city disaster. Texas city, texas the texas city disaster on april 16, 1947 was the deadliest industrial accident in u.
A woman with bandages on her face and arm and bloodstained clothing looks at the camera. Sep 28, 2018 see historic, rare footage of the aftermath of the deadly 1947 explosion in texas city by heather leighton and craig hlavaty updated 12. Some 2,300 tons were already onboard, 880 of which were in the lower part of. The texas city disaster records were created and or maintained by survivor robert m. Rarely seen movie of texas city, texas explosion april. The price of official ignorance about the fertilizers explosive potential and the consequent surprise was the lives of several hundred innocent bystanders and serious injury to a similar number of people. Some advantages of these sources are that they allow learners to experience an individuals personal recollection of the event along. The postwar prosperity was interrupted on the morning of april 16, 1947, when the french ship grandcamp, containing ammonium nitrate fertilizer, exploded, initiating what is generally regarded as the worst industrial accident in us history, the texas city disaster.
Texas city was a seaport and included a large industrial complex of warehouses. Three identical coffins topped with flower sprays await burial at the mass funeral service for unidentified victims of the 1947 texas city disaster held in memorial park on june 22, 1947. Stuart villanuevathe galveston county daily news via. Texas city explosion 1947 universal newsreel silent on vimeo. An example of this type of incident occurred in texas city, texas, across the bay from galveston, on april 16, 1947. Just before 8 am, longshoremen removed the hatch covers on hold 4 of the french liberty ship grandcamp as they. Survivors remember deadly 1947 texas city industrial blast. The texas city disaster was an industrial accident that occurred april 16, 1947, in the port of texas city, texas, at galveston bay.
While in port at galveston bay, the french freighter grandcamp caught fire. Rebuilding and recovery help was received from all over the world. Feb 11, 2017 on 16 april 1947, an arms carrier called the ss grandcamp carrying 2,300 tons of highly volatile ammonium nitrate exploded after a fire on board. Fortunately, a smart use of science helped avoid another explosion in texas city. High flyer sits at the entrance to the port at texas city as a reminder of a less fortunate emergency response which now happened 65 years ago. One of the worst disasters in texas history occurred on april 16, 1947, when the ship ss grandcamp exploded at 9. Texas city, april 16 ap the worst american disaster of the last 10 years a chain of blasts set off by the explosion of a nitrateladen ship smote this gulf port today, killing an estimated 1,200 persons and injuring more than 1,000. Many years later there was a tv special about the texas city explosion and i understood why it was so ingrained in their memories. The texas city disaster, 1947 authorstream presentation. The explosion of two ships loaded with ammonium nitrate fertilizer at the. April 16, 1947, and in texas city it seemed a good morning.
The disaster left an indelible mark on the city, but the people of texas city proved resilient. Much of the boom industrial city of 15,000 population was destroyed or damaged. Texas city disaster images all msimages an ammunition ship explodes in the port chicago disaster photos of the 1947 texas city disaster its aftermath the texas city disaster 1947 authorstream historical essay on texas. The incident began as a late morning fire on the french vessel ss grandcamp which had been docked next to texas city and nearby galveston.
Annual 1947 disaster reunion photo set for april local texas city explosion 1947 uvadisasters wiki fandom 1947 texas city disaster rppc photo postcard searching for remembering the 1947 texas city explosion 30 images of the destruction from texas city disaster. Meant to post these on the 60th anniversary earlier this year. On the front of the memorial is engraved in memoriam those who lost their lives in the texas city disaster of april 16, 1947. Texas city disaster devastated community, changed way. The nearby monsanto styrene plant and other petroleum refineries, homes, warehouses, ships and buildings were largely destroyed.
The texas city disaster of 1947 was a major and very deadly incident. This book was a 1987 class project of a santa fe 7th grade class who interviewed survivors. While in port at galveston bay, the french freighter grandcamp caught fire, setting off an explosion of its stores of. Texas city disaster monument 19471947 find a grave. Two explosions of ammonium nitrate fertilizer shattered texas city and its surrounding area beginning on the morning of april 16, 1947. Rarely seen movie of texas city, texas explosion april 16, 1947 patrick pearsey. The morning of april 16, 1947, started out as an average spring day, but by days end several hundred texas city residents lost their lives and thousands of dollars of property was destroyed when a ship in the port of texas city exploded. Nbcs local houston station covers the april 16, 1947, texas city disaster. The reports, statements, images and notes describe the events of the april 16, 1947 when a french freighter carrying fertilizer caught fire and exploded, causing disaster on shore at the nearby monsanto petroleum plant and other refineries, homes, warehouses and buildings. It took a week to put out fires and a month to recover all the bodies. The historic 1947 texas city disaster by 77 films youtube. My moms uncle norman hamilton served with houston fd from 194073 and made the call to texas city on april 16, 1947.
The corps conducted rescue and relief activities at texas city until 23 april 1947. The death toll was about 640 leaving over 5,000 injured and 63 unaccounted for. Timeline of important events in the history of texas city pdf. On this day in 1947, more than 500 lives were lost khou 11 staff. The disaster started with a fire on board the frenchregistered ss grandcamp, which was docked in. Pdf on wednesday, march 23 2005, numerous explosions, and a fire, occurred at bp texas city refinery, texas, usa. The texas city fire united states army corps of engineers. It happened on wednesday, april 16, 1947, and was one of the largest nonnuclear explosions to hit the united states. The texas city disaster records were created and or maintained by survivor. Changing lives in a heartbeat by cheryl lauersdorf ross 8 houston history vol. Minutaglio recently spoke with the texas standards david brown about the oftenforgotten history and overlooked legacy of the disaster. Texas city, tx disaster explosion and fire, apr 1947.
Photographs of the texas city, texas waterfront after it was devastated by the april 16, 1947 disaster which occurred when a french ship carrying fertilizer on galveston bay caught fire and exploded. Texas city disaster survivor shares story of explosion. Texas city docks on april 16 and 17, 1947, produced the worst industrial dis aster in. Grandcamp cargo ship exploded in the texas city port, killing more than 550 people and creating an unexpected calamity among those living and working in the area. The historic 1947 texas city disaster by 77 films duration. April 1947 texas city explosion, tornadoes in the towns of wood ward, antlers, holdenville, and sasakwa, oklahoma, and a holo caust fire in a dormitory at the. New test may produce results 6 times faster than cdcs. Another man stands in the foreground, ready to assist. Lack of awareness of the dangers from ammonium nitrate despite published guidelines and earlier similar historical tragedies caused the tragedies at the port of texas city on galveston bay. Texas city disaster were ignorance and complacency about hazardous materi als, system interaction, and a perceptual and organizational void between land and marine operations. Between 400 and 600 people were killed, with as many as 4,000 injured. Texas city explosion of 1947 industrial disaster, texas. Texas city disaster, april 16, 1947 texas city, texas.
Footage of the texas city explosion disaster of 1947. This exhibit was created by staff librarians at moore memorial public library. People stand on the sidewalk across the street from the lucus cafe, a liquor store and a dime store. Outside the fencedin area, a number of people are gathered. Last rites were administered at a temporary morgue set up near the explosion scene. Fireballs shooting into the sky were visible across galveston bay. A wounded survivor of the 1947 texas city disaster description.
Review of texas city disaster, 1947 for pad5398 authorstream presentation. May 24, 2015 the texas city disaster was an industrial accident that occurred april 16, 1947, in the port of texas city. The texas city disaster, which began on april 16, 1947, was the deadliest industrial accident in u. City hall city of texas city 1801 9th avenue north texas city, texas 77592 409 9483111. Texas city disaster area, 1947 postexplosion photographs. Texas city explosion texas april 16, 1947 devastating.
Four men lift a cot holding a blanketcovered body in the temporary morgue after the 1947 texas city disaster. Texas city explosion 1947 uvadisasters wiki fandom. Texas city disaster aftermath part 1 1947 on april 16, 1947, texas city, texas became home to one of the worst accidents in americas history. The reports, statements, images and notes describe the events of the april 16, 1947 when a french ship carrying fertilizer on galveston bay caught fire and exploded, causing disaster on shore at the nearby monsanto styrene plant and other petroleum refineries, homes, warehouses. My parents were married in austin on april 16, 1947, and many times over the years they mentioned the explosion on that day. The texas city disaster hazmat history the national hazardous materials fusion center offers hazmat history as an avenue for responders to learn from the past and apply those lessons learned to future incidents for a more successful outcome. Stephens draws on official reports, newspaper and magazine articles, personal letters, and interviews with several dozen survivors to provide the first full account of the 1947 disaster at texas city. At the temporary morgue for victims of the 1947 texas city. On the reverse side of the photograph is written irving peterman in cursive.
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