On April 16, 1947, approximately 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate loaded aboard a cargo ship in the port exploded, leading to a chain reaction of explosions and fires that leveled the port and parts of the city, killing 500-600 people and injuring more than 5000.
The events lead to the first class-action lawsuit filed against the United States government. The lawsuit represented 8,485 victims.
Related categories 4
Sites 5
Loading new listings for you to review...
- Wikipedia: Texas City Disaster Account of the industrial accident with photographs, and the resulting class action lawsuit, the first such suit against the US government.
- Texas City Firefighters: 1947 Texas City Disaster Account and official reports with photographs, eyewitness accounts, and a list of the dead and missing.
- Sloane Gallery: Texas City Disaster Photographs of the disaster taken by a young photographer.
- Moore Memorial Public Library: 1947 Texas City Disaster Overview of the disaster with photographs and bibliography.
- KUHF Radio: 60th Anniversary of the Texas City Disaster Audio and transcript, including the 1947 newsreel and personal accounts.