A city in ruins: the Halifax Explosion

Halifax is in ruins. Much of the city is destroyed either by the blast, the subsequent tidal wave or the resulting fire. The situation is made worse by a terrible blizzard that begins at midnight, quickly blanketing the city. As seen in this silent television footage, the explosion has obliterated homes, schools, churches, factories, the railway station and freight yards.

The powerful blast has shattered most of the windows within an 80-kilometre radius. The aftershock of the explosion is felt as far away as Sydney, Cape Breton; a distance of about 435 kilometres. An estimated 25,000 people from a population of less than 50,000 suddenly find themselves homeless.

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Education

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• halifaxexplosion

[JonnysKia]

I wish that all Canadian schools taught this part of history. It sure would have been more interesting to me then reading yet more about some boring guys with boring canoes and their boring fur trade. I am not sure if Haligonians have this as part of their history lessons but in Ontario in the 80's we never knew a thing about it which is horribly sad.

[TheEastsideFM]

Im reading about this and many other historic disasters. Nurses reported seeing buckets full of eyeballs in the hospital wards when the victims were being treated because so many people were looking out of their windows at the time of the explosion and then glass happened. Thats terrifying.

[PaisGreenapple3]

I hope nothing like this ever happens again, It looks like it must have been horrible.

[cefair22]

My children's grandfather was working at the new Camp Hill Hospital on a steam heater when the explosion occurred. Thankfully he was looking down when the windows exploded over him so he wasn't blinded.

[55pie]

UUUH PEOPLE THIS IS A PART OF cANADA Genuises

[callofdutyfreak174]

man are you canadian? if not man please don't put stuff on thats not part of your heritage.

[dainbramagedpro]

Very good pictures!