List of the largest artificial non-nuclear explosions

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Since the invention of high explosives, there have been a number of extremely large explosions, many accidental. This list contains the largest known examples, sorted by date. The weight of the explosive does not directly correlate with the size of the explosion, so an accurate ranking of these explosions is impossible.

Contents 1 2001–present 2 1901–2000 2.1 World War II era 2.2 World War I era 3 Before 1900 4 Comparison with large conventional military ordnances 5 Rank Order of conventional explosions/detonations by magnitude 6 See also 7 References

[edit] 2001–present

• 2005 Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal fire. On 11 December 2005 there were a series of major explosions at the 60 million gallon (273 million litre) capacity Buncefield oil depot near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. The explosions were heard over 100 miles (160 km) away, as far as the Netherlands and France, and the resulting flames were visible for many miles around the depot. A smoke cloud covered Hemel Hempstead and other nearby towns in west Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. There were no fatalities, but there were around 43 injuries (two serious).

• Ryongchon disaster: train explosion in North Korea; officially 54 people were killed and 1,249 were injured on April 22, 2004.

• Seest fireworks disaster. On November 3, 2004 about 800 tonnes of fireworks exploded in the Danish town of Kolding. One firefighter was killed, but the mass evacuation of 2,000 people saved many lives. The cost of the damage has been estimated at € 100 million.

• 2001 AZF chemical factory explosion in Toulouse, France. On 21 September 2001 the disaster caused 30 deaths, 2,500 seriously wounded and 8,000 light casualties.

[edit] 1901–2000

• Enschede fireworks disaster. On May 13, 2000 about 177 tons of fireworks exploded in the Dutch town of Enschede. 23 people were killed, and hundreds were injured.

• PEPCON disaster. On May 4, 1988 about 8.5 million pounds (3,855 tonnes) of ammonium perchlorate either burned or exploded in a fire and several massive explosions near Henderson, Nevada. Two people were killed, and hundreds were injured. The largest explosion was estimated to be equivalent to a 1 kiloton nuclear air burst¹.

• Minor Scale. Several, if not many, very large deliberate detonations have been carried out in order to simulate the effects of nuclear weapons on vehicles and military material in general. The largest publicly-known was conducted by the United States Defense Nuclear Agency (now part of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency) on 27 June 1985 at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The Minor Scale test involved between 4,400 and 4,800 short tons of ANFO, giving it a yield of about 4 kt. Although comparing explosions is difficult, this is a plausible candidate for the largest artificial non-nuclear explosion in history. Similar tests were reportedly carried out in the 1970s in the far north jungles of Queensland, Australia, to test the feasibility of nuclear weapons for clearing forests in the Vietnam War.

• Medeo Dam, near Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan. On October 21, 1966 a mudflow protection dam was created by a series of four preliminary explosions of 1,800 tons total and a final explosion of 3600 tonnes of ammonium nitrate based explosive. On April 14, 1967 the dam was reinforced by an explosion of 3900 tonnes of ammonium nitrate based explosive.

• Operation Sailor Hat, off Kaho'olawe Island, Hawaii, 1965. A series of tests was performed, using conventional explosives to simulate the shock effects of nuclear blasts on naval vessels. Each test saw the detonation of a 500-ton mass of high explosives.

• Ripple Rock, Canada. On April 5, 1958 an underwater mountain was decapitated by the explosion of 1,375 tonnes of Nitramex 2H (an ammonium nitrate based explosive).

• New London School explosion. On March 18, 1937 A natural gas leak caused an explosion, destroying the New London School of the city of New London, Texas. Over 300 students and teachers died.

• The Oppau explosion. On September 21, 1921 a silo filled with 4,500 tonnes of fertilizer exploded, killing around 560, largely destroying Oppau, Germany and causing damage more than 30 km away.

• The 1996 Manchester bombing. On Saturday 15 June 1996,the IRA detonated a bomb containing 1500kg (3300 lb) of explosives in Manchester, England. The bomb was located in a Ford lorry parked two hours earlier in the centre of the city's shopping district. It was the largest IRA bomb ever detonated in Great Britain, and the largest bomb to explode in Great Britain since the Second World War.

[edit] World War II era

• Helgoland. On April 18, 1947 British engineers attempted to destroy the entire island in what became known as the "British Bang" (or "Big Bang"). 4,061 long tons (4126 tonnes) (another source claims 6,800 long tons/6900 tonnes) of surplus World War II ammunition were placed in various locations around the island and set off. The island survived, although the extensive fortifications were destroyed. The blast was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records under largest single explosive detonation (Not to be confused with the Halifax Explosion, which was not a detonation.)

• The Texas City Disaster. On April 16, 1947, the SS Grandcamp, loaded with 8,500 short tons (7700 tonnes) of ammonium nitrate, exploded in port at Texas City, Texas; this is generally considered the worst industrial accident in United States history. 581 died, over 5,000 injured. According to the United States Department of Defense publication Effects of Nuclear Weapons, the explosion was comparable to that produced by 2 to 4 kilotons of TNT.

• RAF Fauld Explosion. On November 27, 1944 the RAF Ammunition Depot at Fauld, Staffordshire became the site of the largest explosion in the UK, when 3,700 tonnes of bombs stored in underground bunkers covering 17,000 square metres exploded en masse. The explosion was caused by bombs being taken out of store - primed for use and replaced unused, with the detonators still installed. The crater is 30 metres deep and covers 5 hectares. The death toll was approximately 78 including RAF, six Italian POWs, civilian employees and local people. The explosion has been generally accepted to be the equivalent of roughly 4 kilotons of TNT.

• Port Chicago disaster. On July 17, 1944 in Port Chicago, California the SS E. A. Bryan exploded while loading ammunition bound for the Pacific, with an estimated 4,606 short tons (4178 tonnes) of high explosive, incendiary bombs, depth charges, and other ammunition. Another 429 short tons (389 tonnes) were waiting on nearby rail cars, which also exploded. 320 were killed instantly, another 390 wounded. The disaster is a cause celebre in the African American community, as most of the casualties were black, and led to a mutiny over working conditions.

• Bombay Docks Explosion. On April 14, 1944 the SS Fort Stikine carrying around 1,400 long tons (1422 tonnes) of explosives (among other goods) caught fire and exploded killing around 800 people.

[edit] World War I era

• Halifax Explosion. On December 6, 1917 two ships collided in the harbour of Halifax, Nova Scotia one carrying 2,653 tonnes of various explosives, mostly picric acid. After the collision the ship caught on fire, drifted into town and eventually exploded. More than 1,900 people were killed and much of downtown Halifax was destroyed. An evaluation of the explosion's force puts it at 2.9 kt of TNT.

• Battle of Messines. On June 7, 1917 nineteen (of a planned twenty-one) huge mines — containing over 455 tonnes (1,000,000 lb) of ammonal explosives — were set off beneath German lines on the Messines-Wytschaete ridge. Approximately 10,000 Germans were killed, and the explosion was heard as far away as London and Dublin.

• Silvertown explosion. On 19 January 1917 at 18:52 parts of Silvertown in East London were devastated by a massive TNT explosion at the Brunner-Mond munitions factory. 73 people died and hundreds were injured. The blast was felt across London and Essex, and was heard over 100 miles (160 km) away, with the resulting fires visible for 30 miles (50 km).

• Black Tom explosion. On July 30, 1916 1,000 short tons (900 tonnes)of explosives bound for Europe, along with another 50 tons on the Johnson Barge No.17, exploded in Jersey City, New Jersey, a major dock serving New York. There were few deaths, but about 100 injuries; also, the buildings on Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty were damaged, along with much of Jersey City.

• Lochnagar Mine. On July 1, 1916 on the start of Battle of the Somme a charge of 60,000 lbs (27 tonnes) of ammonal explosive was blown at 7.28 am. The explosions constituted what was then the loudest man-made sound in history, and could be heard in London. The mine created a crater 300 feet (90 metres) across and 90 feet (27 metres) deep, with a lip 15 feet (4.6 metres) high. The crater is known as Lochnagar Crater after the trench from where the main tunnel was started.

[edit] Before 1900

• The Nanaimo mine explosion. On May 3, 1887, in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada killed 150 miners and was the largest man-made explosion in the world until the Halifax Explosion.

• Mobile magazine explosion. On May 25, 1865, in Mobile, Alabama, in the Southern United States, an ordnance depot or "magazine" exploded, killing some 300 persons. This event occurred just after the end of the American Civil War, during the occupation of the city by victorious Federal troops.

• Siege of Multan. On December 30, 1848, in Multan during the Second Anglo-Sikh War, "A shell from a mortar struck a mosque in the city which had been turned into a magazine and stored with 400,000 lbs. of gunpowder. It blew up with a tremendous explosion which shook the earth for many miles round, and darkened the air with smoke and fragments." – from The History of India by John Clark Marshman, Volume III page 340.

• Delft Explosion. About 40 tonnes of gunpowder exploded on October 12, 1654, destroying much of the city of Delft in the Netherlands. Over a hundred people were killed and thousands wounded.

[edit] Comparison with large conventional military ordnances

The most powerful non-nuclear weapons ever designed are the United States' MOAB (standing for Massive Ordnance Air Blast, also nicknamed Mother Of All Bombs, tested in 2003) and the Russian Father of All Bombs (tested in 2007), about 4 times more powerful than the MOAB). The MOAB packs 18,700 lb (8.5 tonnes) of the H6 explosive, which is 1.35 times as powerful as TNT. This gives the bomb an approximate yield of 0.025 kt. As a matter of comparison, it would require 118 MOABs to equate the Halifax Explosion.

[edit] Rank Order of conventional explosions/detonations by magnitude

Yields not explicitly cited in the preceding sections are approximated by the characteristics and amount of the explosive material. These are rough estimates and are not authoritative.

Event	Approximate yield
Port Chicago disaster	5 kt
Minor Scale	4 kt
Heligoland	4 kt
Texas City Disaster	2-4 kt
Halifax Explosion	2.9 kt

[edit] See also

List of nuclear tests

[edit] References

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