ALCANAR — 1978 · Major Tragedy
The Los Alfaques Campsite Disaster
On the afternoon of 11 July 1978 a road tanker carrying about 23.5 tonnes of propylene ruptured on the N-340 coastal road in Alcanar, Tarragona, as it passed the Los Alfaques campsite, which was packed with tourists. The escaping gas ignited into a huge explosion and fireball. Two hundred and fifteen people died and more than 200 were injured; most of the dead were French tourists. The tanker had been filled well beyond its capacity and had no safety relief valve. In 1982 a Tarragona court convicted six employees of the oil and haulage companies of negligence. Spain afterwards restricted daytime transit of hazardous loads through populated areas.
- Date
- 1978
- Place
- Tarragona, Spain, Alcanar, ES
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 40.5660, 0.5850 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 11 July 1978A propylene tanker exploded beside the campsite; 215 died.
- 1982A Tarragona court convicted six company employees of negligence.
- 1980sRestrictions on hazardous cargo through populated areas were introduced.
Sources
- Wikipedia — Los Alfaques disaster en.wikipedia.org ↗
- ABC — Aniversario de la tragedia de Los Alfaques abc.es ↗
- Wikipedia
- ABC (España)
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.