List of boiler explosions

This is a list of steam boiler explosions such as railway locomotive, marine transport (military and civilian), and stationary power:

Events
EventDateTypeNationCity/LocaleKilledInjuredMissing References
Savery explosion1716Industrial United Kingdom1 [1]
Brunton's Mechanical TravellerJuly 31, 1815Locomotive United KingdomPhiladelphia, England16 [2]
SS Washington1816Marine (civilian) United StatesMarietta, Ohio125 [3]
SS Constitution 1817 Marine (civilian)  United States Mississippi River 30 [4]
The AetnaMay 15, 1824Marine (civilian) United StatesNew York City, New York1040 [3]
SS Teche 1825 Marine (civilian)  United States Mississippi River 20 [4]
Stockton and Darlington Railway locomotive no. 2[5] or no. 5[2]March 19, 1828Locomotive United KingdomSimpasture, near Shildon, England11 [2][5]
Stockton and Darlington Railway Locomotion No. 1July 1, 1828Locomotive United KingdomAycliffe Lane, Heighington, England1 [2]
SS Helen McGregor February 24, 1830 Marine (civilian)  United States Memphis, Tennessee [4]
Best Friend of CharlestonJune 17, 1831Locomotive United StatesCharleston, South Carolina13 [6]
Locomotive under testNovember 1834Locomotive United StatesBaltimore and Ohio Railroad, Baltimore, Maryland1 [7]
Liverpool and Manchester Railway No. 33 PatenteeNovember 12, 1834Locomotive United KingdomWhiston Bank, Whiston, England [8]
PS Union1837Marine (civilian) United KingdomHull, England2320 [9][10][11][12]
SS MoselleApril 28, 1838Marine (civilian) United StatesCincinnati, Ohio811355 [13]
SS PulaskiJune 14, 1838Marine (civilian) United StatesCape Hatteras, North Carolina128
New York and Harlem RailroadJuly 4, 1839Locomotive United States14th Street, New York City, New York25 [14]
SurpriseNovember 10, 1840Locomotive United KingdomBromsgrove railway station, Bromsgrove, England2 [15][2]
SS Henry EckfordApril 27, 1841Marine (civilian) United StatesNew York City, New York12
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad RichmondSeptember 2, 1844Locomotive United StatesReading, Pennsylvania4 [16]
London and North Western Railway 122 Goliah1847Locomotive United Kingdom [17]
Great Western Railway GoliahJune 29, 1849Locomotive United KingdomFoot of Hemerdon Bank, Plympton, England1 [18]
London and North Western Railway 4011850Locomotive United KingdomLongsight, Manchester, England [19]
Firth Woollen Mill1850Industrial United KingdomHalifax, England1217 [20][21]
Hague Street explosionFebruary 4, 1850Industrial United StatesNew York City, New York6750 [22]
Midland Railway 363 (ex Bristol and Gloucester Railway 7 Wickwar)January 8, 1853Locomotive United KingdomClay Hill, Bristol, England [23]
Erie RailroadJune 16, 1853Locomotive United StatesSusquehanna, Pennsylvania5 [24]
SS CanemahAugust 8, 1853Marine (civilian) United StatesChampoeg, Oregon1
SS ShoalwaterMay 1853Marine (civilian) United StatesRock Island, Oregon
SS GazelleApril 8, 1854Marine (civilian) United StatesOregon City, Oregon24many
Fieldhouse MillsJuly 15, 1855Industrial United KingdomRochdale, England1013 [25]
GeorgianaNovember 23, 1855Marine (civilian) United StatesPetaluma, California120 [26]
SS PennsylvaniaJune 13, 1858Marine (civilian) United StatesMemphis, Tennessee250
London and North Western Railway 249July 4, 1861Locomotive United KingdomRugby, Warwickshire1 [27]
Erie RailroadOctober 25, 1862Locomotive United StatesDocks, Jersey City, New Jersey5 [24]
Great Western Railway PerseusNovember 1862Locomotive United KingdomWestbourne Park shed, London, England [28]
Hembrigg MillsJune 27, 1863Industrial United KingdomMorley, England9 [29]
SS Ada HancockApril 23, 1863Marine (civilian) United StatesSan Pedro Bay, California2623
Tugboat GreenwoodJune 15, 1863Marine (civilian) United StatesBarrytown, New York733
Calcutta explosion1863 IndiaKolkata
Merrick Sons, Southwark FoundryApril 6, 1864Industrial United StatesPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania713
USS ChenangoApril 15, 1864Marine (military) United StatesNew York City, New York286
Midland Railway 356May 5, 1864Locomotive United KingdomColne, England12 [28]
Great Northern 138May 5, 1864Locomotive United KingdomMetropolitan Railway's Bishop's Road station (now Paddington), London, England [30]
? 1081864Locomotive United KingdomShrewsbury and Hereford Joint Railway, Leominster, England [31]
New York Central RailroadJune 18, 1864Locomotive United StatesSyracuse, New York3 [24]
USS TulipNovember 11, 1864Marine (military) United StatesPotomac River, Maryland49
Eclipse (steamboat)[32] January 27, 1865 Marine (military)  United States Tennessee River 38
SultanaApril 27, 1865Marine (civilian) United StatesMemphis, Tennessee1169
Staten Island Ferry Westfield II July 30, 1871 Marine (civilian)  United States New York City, New York 45–91 78–208 [33][34][35][36]
Spa Well MillDecember 15, 1873Industrial United KingdomElland, England34 [37]
Town & Son FactoryJune 9, 1869Industrial United KingdomBingley, England15 [38]
SS SenatorMay 6, 1875Marine (civilian) United StatesPortland, Oregon
HMS ThundererJuly 14, 1876Marine (military) United KingdomPortsmouth Harbour, England4570
Boston Stamping Company, under Seavey & Co.April 6, 1878Industrial United StatesEast Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts36
Railway explosionDecember 21, 1881Locomotive AustraliaKatoomba, New South Wales Unverified report[39]
Queensland Railways1890Locomotive AustraliaQueensland
North East Dundas TramwayJune 18, 1892Locomotive AustraliaTasmania
Annie FaxonApril 14, 1893Marine (civilian) United StatesColumbia River8
ZeehanMay 1, 1899Locomotive AustraliaZeehan, Tasmania
Great Eastern Railway No. 522September 25, 1900Locomotive United KingdomWesterfield, England22 [40]
Grover Shoe Factory disasterMarch 20, 1905Industrial United StatesBrockton, Massachusetts58150
HMS ImplacableJuly 12, 1905Marine (military) United Kingdom2
USS BenningtonJuly 21, 1905Marine (military) United StatesSan Diego, California66
T.J. Salts Lumber Company August 7, 1905 Industrial United States Del Rio, Tennessee 5 16 [41]
HMS ImplacableAugust 16, 1906Marine (military) United Kingdom2
Hemingway Paint & Colour ManufacturersAugust 23, 1907Industrial United KingdomMillwall, London, England2 [42]
Central of Georgia RailwayOctober 12, 1907Locomotive United StatesReynolds, Georgia220
Boiler house at Laura coal mineSeptember 15, 1908industrial NetherlandsEygelshoven, the Netherlands7many
Rhymney Railway 971909Locomotive United KingdomRhymney Railway's shed, Cardiff, Wales33 [43]
Morewood Lake Ice Company explosionDecember 29, 1910Industrial United StatesPittsfield, Massachusetts1720
SS Sarah DixonJanuary 18, 1912Marine (civilian) United StatesKalama, Washington3
Southern Pacific RoundhouseMarch 18, 1912Locomotive United StatesSan Antonio, Texas26 [44]
Rumney ShedApril 21, 1912Locomotive United KingdomCardiff, Wales
SS City of LiverpoolFebruary 24, 1913Marine (civilian) United KingdomManchester Ship Canal, Runcorn, England1 [45]
SS James T. StaplesJanuary 10, 1913Marine (civilian) United StatesBladon Springs, Alabama2621 [46][47]
Destroyer IkazuchiOctober 9, 1913Marine (military) JapanOminato
Southern Pacific 4037 February 14, 1914 Locomotive  United States Southern Pacific's San Joaquin Division [48]
Maine Central Railroad1915Locomotive United StatesAyers Junction, Pembroke, Maine [49]
Medina-Salamanca Railway No.2January 10, 1918Locomotive SpainMedina del Campo15150 [50]
London and North Western Railway 132November 11, 1921Locomotive United KingdomBuxton, England21 [51]
Southern Pacific 4017 September 12, 1929 Locomotive  United States [48]
LMS 6399 FuryFebruary 10, 1930Locomotive United Kingdom1
Southern Pacific 4402 December 25, 1931 Locomotive  United States Near Richvale, California [52]
Elkhorn Piney Coal CompanyJanuary 27, 1934Locomotive United StatesPowellton, West Virginia16
Deutsche Reichsbahn 02 101April 3, 1939Locomotive Germany
Southern Pacific 4199 May 3, 1941 Locomotive  United States Cooper, California 4 [48]
Canadian National 242August 9, 1941Locomotive CanadaMontreal, Quebec11
Pennsylvania Railroad 520November 14, 1942Locomotive United StatesCresson, Pennsylvania24
SS Cascades1943Marine (civilian) United StatesPortland, Oregon
New York Central Railroad J-3a No. 5450 while hauling the 20th Century LimitedSeptember 7, 1943Locomotive United StatesCanastota, New York3 [24][53]
USATC S160 Class1943, 1944Locomotive United Kingdom
Great Northern 2581January 9, 1947Locomotive United StatesCrary, North Dakota ? ? [54]
RL Smith Lumber Company 91February 14, 1948Locomotive United StatesCanby, California22 [55]
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway locomotive no. 3020May 12, 1948Locomotive USANear Chillicothe, Ohio30 [56]
Union Pacific 9018October 20, 1948Locomotive United States1.97 miles (3.17 km) east of Upland, Kansas3 [57]
Deutsche Reichsbahn 95 6679May 4, 1951Locomotive East GermanyMeiningen Steam Locomotive Works, Meiningen11
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 1642June 9, 1953Locomotive United StatesHinton, West Virginia3 [58]
British RailwaysJanuary 24, 1962Locomotive United KingdomBletchley, England02
New York Telephone Company building explosionOctober 3, 1962Stationary power United StatesNew York City, New York2394 [59]
USS BasiloneFebruary 5, 1973Marine (military) United States7
Deutsche Reichsbahn 01 1516November 27, 1977Locomotive East GermanyRailway station, Bitterfeld945
Gettysburg Railroad 1278June 16, 1995Locomotive United StatesGardners, Pennsylvania2 [60]
USS WillametteJune 29, 1995Marine (military) United States07
Ford River Rouge complex 2 February 1999 Industrial  United States Dearborn, Michigan 6
Medina County Fair GroundJuly 29, 2001Antique steam tractor United StatesMedina County, Ohio5~40 [61][62][63]
SS NorwayMay 25, 2003Marine (civilian) United StatesMiami, Florida817
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) May 20, 2005 Stationary  Canada Vancouver, British Columbia
St Mary's General Hospital 15 July 2006 Stationary  United States Passaic, New Jersey
Dana Corporation 400-hp fire-tube boiler 19 June 2007 Industrial  United States Paris, Tennessee
Orewa CollegeJune 24, 2009Industrial New ZealandOrewa, Auckland11 [64]
Loy-Lange Box CompanyApril 3, 2017Industrial United StatesSt. Louis, Missouri43 [65][66]

See also

References
  1. Le Van, William Barnet (1892). Safety-Valves: Their History, Antecedents, Invention and Calculation. New York: Norman W. Henley & Co. pp. 134–135. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
  2. Hewison 1983, p. 26.
  3. Grohman, Adam M. (April 2011). "Sentinels and Saviors of the Sea" (PDF). Boating World U. S. Coast Guard Series. River & Sound Publishing of NY, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  4. Scharf, John Thomas (1883). History of Saint Louis City and County: From the Earliest Periods to the Present Day: Including Biographical Sketches of Representative Men. L. H. Everts. p. 1108.
  5. Baxter 1986, p. 65.
  6. Shaw 1978, p. 16.
  7. Shaw 1978, pp. 46–47.
  8. Baxter 1978, p. 13.
  9. Schroder, Henry (1851), "Explosion of a Steam Packet Boiler at Hull", The annals of Yorkshire from the earliest period to the present time, vol. 1, Crosby & Co., Leeds, pp. 303–4
  10. "Abstract of the evidence at the inquest relating to the explosion of the boiler of the "Union" steam packet at Hull", The Mechanics' magazine, museum, register, journal, and gazette, vol. 27, W.A. Robertson, London, 1837, pp. 189–192
  11. Timperley, J.; Cubitt, W.; MacNeill, J.; Buddle, J.; Field, J. (1838). "On the Explosion of One of the Boilers of the Union Steam Packet, at Hull. (Includes Discussion)". Minutes of the Proceedings. 1 (1838): 41. doi:10.1680/imotp.1838.24811.
  12. "Trinity burial ground, Hull". British Archaeology. No. 181. Council for British Archaeology. October 2021. p. 11.
  13. Lloyds Steamboat Disasters
  14. Shaw 1978, p. 47.
  15. Rolt & Kichenside 1982, p. 69.
  16. Shaw 1978, pp. 47–48.
  17. Baxter 1978, p. 16.
  18. Rolt & Kichenside 1982, pp. 69–70.
  19. Baxter 1978, p. 22.
  20. "Boiler Explosion at Halifax". The Mechanics' Magazine. LIII (1428): 488–489. 21 December 1850. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  21. Leeds Intelligencer 22 March 1851
  22. Common Council, New York, NY (1850). Report of the Special Committee: Catastrophe In Hague Street. New York: McSpedon & Baker. Retrieved 13 June 2009.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) Also see: Little, George P. (1860). The Fireman's Own Book, Chapter: Explosion and Fire in Hague Street. pp. 259–277. Retrieved 13 June 2009. "The Dreadful Explosion in New York". The Friend: A Religious and Literary Journal: 176. 16 February 1850. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  23. Baxter 1982, p. 27.
  24. Shaw 1978, p. 48.
  25. Dodsley, James (1855). The Annual Register, Entry for July 15, 1854: Terrific Boiler Explosion At Rochdale. London: F. & J. Rivington. p. 112. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  26. Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 10, Number 1456, 24 November 1855 p.2, col.5
  27. Rolt & Kichenside 1982, p. 71.
  28. Rolt & Kichenside 1982, p. 72.
  29. William, Smith (1866). Rambles about Morley. London: John Russell Smith. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  30. Rolt & Kichenside 1982, pp. 72–73.
  31. Rolt & Kichenside 1982, p. 73.
  32. Ullrich, Dieter (2020). "The Explosion of the Steamer Eclipse". West Tennessee Historical Society Papers. Faculty Research at Morehead State University. 74: 54–72.
  33. Cudahy, Brian J. (1990). Over and Back: The History of Ferryboats in New York Harbor. Fordham University Press. p. 158. ISBN 978-0-8232-1245-3.
  34. Roess, Roger P.; Sansome, Gene (2013). The Wheels That Drove New York: A History of the New York City Transit System. Springer. p. 226. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-30484-2. ISBN 978-3-642-30484-2.
  35. "APPALLING DISASTER. - Explosion of a Staten Island Ferry-Boat Boiler. Wreck of the Steamer Westfield at South Ferry. Dreadful Loss of Life and Limb the Result" (PDF). The New York Times. 31 July 1871. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  36. "Who Was to Blame?" (PDF). New-York Tribune. 2 August 1871. p. 4. Retrieved 27 September 2017 – via Fultonhistory.com.
  37. Huddersfield Chronicle, 17 Dec 1873, p4, printed in Huddersfield, England
  38. Burke, Edmund (1869). The Annual Register, Entry for June 9, 1869. p. 55. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  39. "Boiler Explosion". Evening News. 26 December 1881. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  40. Lt.-Col. P G von Donop, R.E. (13 November 1900). "BoT_Westerfield1900.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  41. "HomeT. J. Salts Lumber Mill Boiler Explosion - "1 - Home Page"". T. J. Salts Lumber Mill Boiler Explosion - "1 - Home Page". Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  42. Lincolnshire Echo, 24 Aug 1907, p4, col3, printed in Lincoln, England
  43. Rolt & Kichenside 1982, pp. 74–75.
  44. "THE GREAT LOCOMOTIVE EXPLOSION". colfa.utsa.edu. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  45. Directors minutes of North Lonsdale Ironworls Co, BDB47 box 16 at CRO, Barrow
  46. Ward, Rufus (2010). The Tombigbee River Steamboats: Rollodores, Dead heads, and Side-wheelers. Charleston, South Carolina: History Press. pp. 129, 169. ISBN 978-1-59629-285-7.
  47. James V. Swift (14 May 2001). "This Southern Steamboat Had A Tragic Ending" (PDF). Waterways Journal. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  48. Reed, Brian (1972). Loco Profile 28: S.P. Cab-in-Fronts. Windsor, Berkshire: Profile Publications Ltd. p. 95.
  49. Shaw 1978, p. 49.
  50. «La Horrorosa Catástrofe de Medina (The terrible disaster of Medina)», article in El Adelanto de Salamanca (The Forward of Salamanca), 11-01-1918, page 2. Ministry of Culture of Spain historic newspaper server.
  51. "Accident at Buxton on 11th November 1921". Railways Archive. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  52. Reed, Brian. Loco Profile 20: The American 4-8-4. Windor, Berkshire: Profile Publications Ltd.
  53. Morgan, David P. (April 1988). "The Greatest Century of all: New York Central's 1938 20th Century Limited". Model Railroader. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Kalmbach Publishing: 81.
  54. Keyes, Norman C. Jr; Middleton, Kenneth R. (Autumn 1980). "The Great Northern Railway Company:All-Time Locomotive Roster, 1861-1970". Railroad History (143). Boston: The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc.
  55. "Foothill Rails Rosters P-Q-R".
  56. United States Government Publications Monthly Catalog. Washington: United States Government Printing Office. August 1948. p. 969.
  57. Kratville, William W.; Bush, John E. (1995). The Union Pacific Type, Volume II. Omaha, Nebraska. pp. 282–289. LCCN 90082171.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  58. Long, Roy (29 October 2002). "Railroad Recollections: More About Engine 1642 Explosion". The Hinton News. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  59. "BOILER-BLAST SUIT ASKS $8.2 MILLION; 10 Sue in '62 Phone Building Explosion Fatal to 23". The New York Times. 15 July 1964.
  60. "Steam Locomotive Firebox Explosion on the Gettysburg Railroad Near Gardners, Pennsylvania June 16, 1995" (PDF). ntsb.gov. National Transportation Safety Board. 15 November 1996. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  61. Boiler Explosion in Ohio, USA First Hand Observations from Andrew Semple
  62. "Steam Engine Blast At Ohio Fairgrounds Leaves 4 Men Dead". The New York Times. 30 July 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2017 – via NYTimes.com.
  63. "The Final Report on the Tragedy at the Medina County Fairgrounds - Steam Engines - Steam Traction". Farm Collector. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  64. Ruscoe, Kim (25 June 2009). "Death after school boiler explosion". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  65. Byers, Christine (6 April 2017). "4th victim who died from boiler blast near Soulard remembered as hard worker; funds set up for families". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
  66. Bell, Kim; Byers, Christine; Kohler, Jeremy (4 April 2017). "2 new employees filling out paperwork among dead in St. Louis boiler explosion". St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Sources
  • Baxter, Bertram (1978). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 2A: London and North Western Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903485-51-6.
  • Baxter, Bertram (1982). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923. Vol. 3A: Midland Railway and its constituent companies. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 9780903485524.
  • Baxter, Bertram (1986). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923, Volume 5A: North Eastern Railway, Hull and Barnsley Railway. Ashbourne, Derbyshire: Moorland Publishing Company. ISBN 0-903485-54-0.
  • Hewison, Christian H. (1983). Locomotive Boiler Explosion. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. ISBN 0-7153-8305-1.
  • Rolt, L. T. C.; Kichenside, G. M. (1982). Red for Danger: A history of railway accidents and railway safety (4th ed.). Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-8362-0. OCLC 9526651.
  • Shaw, Robert B. (1978). A History of Railroad Accidents, Safety Precautions and Operating Practices. LCCN 78104064.

Further reading

Contemporary listings and accounts

Other
  • For a short status of European steam users' associations and boiler insurance companies c. 1897, see Hale, R. S. (April 1897). "European Boiler Practice". Journal of the Association of Engineering Societies. XVIII (4): 242–243. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
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