HALIFAX — 1917 · Major Tragedy
The Halifax Explosion
On the morning of 6 December 1917, during the First World War, the French cargo ship Mont-Blanc, loaded with explosives, collided with the Norwegian vessel Imo in the Narrows of Halifax Harbour. The fire that broke out on the Mont-Blanc turned into an enormous explosion at 9:04, one of the largest man-made explosions before nuclear weapons. The Richmond district in the city's north end was largely destroyed; at least 1,782 people died and about 9,000 were injured. A blizzard the next day hampered rescue efforts. The first inquiry blamed the Mont-Blanc, but higher courts found both ships at fault. Boston's relief effort is still commemorated every year with a Christmas tree.
- Date
- 1917
- Place
- Nova Scotia, Canada, Halifax, CA
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 44.6690, -63.6070 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 6 December 1917, 8:45 amThe Mont-Blanc and the Imo collided in the Narrows.
- 6 December 1917, 9:04 amThe Mont-Blanc exploded, levelling Richmond.
- 7 December 1917A blizzard hampered rescue work.
- 1918The first inquiry blamed the Mont-Blanc.
- 1919–1920Higher courts held both ships at fault.
Sources
- The Canadian Encyclopedia — Halifax Explosion thecanadianencyclopedia.ca ↗
- Nova Scotia Archives — Halifax Explosion archives.novascotia.ca ↗
- Global News — How the Halifax Explosion was nearly forgotten globalnews.ca ↗
- Wikipedia — Halifax Explosion en.wikipedia.org ↗
- The Canadian Encyclopedia
- Nova Scotia Archives
- Global News
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.