Wikipedia

List of boiler explosions

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

Etching of damage from a boiler explosion in Newark, New Jersey in 1867

Events

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EventDateTypeNationCity/LocaleKilledInjuredMissing References
Savery explosion1716Industrial United Kingdom1 [1]
Brunton's Mechanical Traveller31 July 1815Locomotive United KingdomPhiladelphia, England16 [2]
SS Washington1816Marine (civilian) United StatesMarietta, Ohio125 [3]
SS Constitution 1817 Marine (civilian) United States Mississippi River 30 [4]
The Aetna15 May 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]19 March 1828Locomotive United KingdomSimpasture, near Shildon, England11 [2][5]
Stockton and Darlington Railway Locomotion No. 11 July 1828Locomotive United KingdomAycliffe Lane, Heighington, England1 [2]
SS Helen McGregor 24 February 1830 Marine (civilian) United States Memphis, Tennessee [4]
Best Friend of Charleston17 June 1831Locomotive United StatesCharleston, South Carolina13 [6]
Locomotive under testNovember 1834Locomotive United StatesBaltimore and Ohio Railroad, Baltimore, Maryland1 [7]
Liverpool and Manchester Railway No. 33 Patentee12 November 1834Locomotive United KingdomWhiston Bank, Whiston, England [8]
PS Union1837Marine (civilian) United KingdomHull, England2320 [9][10][11][12]
SS Moselle28 April 1838Marine (civilian) United StatesCincinnati, Ohio16013 [13]
SS Pulaski14 June 1838Marine (civilian) United StatesCape Hatteras, North Carolina128
New York and Harlem Railroad4 July 1839Locomotive United States14th Street, New York City, New York25 [14]
Surprise10 November 1840Locomotive United KingdomBromsgrove railway station, Bromsgrove, England2 [15][2]
SS Henry Eckford27 April 1841Marine (civilian) United StatesNew York City, New York12
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Richmond2 September 1844Locomotive United StatesReading, Pennsylvania4 [16]
London and North Western Railway 122 Goliah1847Locomotive United Kingdom [17]
Great Western Railway Goliah29 June 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 explosion4 February 1850Industrial United StatesNew York City, New York6750 [22][23][24]
Midland Railway 363 (ex Bristol and Gloucester Railway 7 Wickwar)8 January 1853Locomotive United KingdomClay Hill, Bristol, England [25]
Erie Railroad16 June 1853Locomotive United StatesSusquehanna, Pennsylvania5 [26]
SS Canemah8 August 1853Marine (civilian) United StatesChampoeg, Oregon1
SS ShoalwaterMay 1853Marine (civilian) United StatesRock Island, Oregon
SS Gazelle8 April 1854Marine (civilian) United StatesOregon City, Oregon24many
Fieldhouse Mills15 July 1855Industrial United KingdomRochdale, England1013 [27]
Georgiana23 November 1855Marine (civilian) United StatesPetaluma, California120 [28]
SS Pennsylvania13 June 1858Marine (civilian) United StatesMemphis, Tennessee250
London and North Western Railway 2494 July 1861Locomotive United KingdomRugby, Warwickshire1 [29]
Erie Railroad25 October 1862Locomotive United StatesDocks, Jersey City, New Jersey5 [26]
Great Western Railway PerseusNovember 1862Locomotive United KingdomWestbourne Park shed, London, England [30]
Hembrigg Mills27 June 1863Industrial United KingdomMorley, England9 [31]
SS Ada Hancock23 April 1863Marine (civilian) United StatesSan Pedro Bay, California2623
Tugboat Greenwood15 June 1863Marine (civilian) United StatesBarrytown, New York733
Calcutta explosion1863 IndiaKolkata
Merrick Sons, Southwark Foundry6 April 1864Industrial United StatesPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania713
USS Chenango15 April 1864Marine (military) United StatesNew York City, New York286
Midland Railway 3565 May 1864Locomotive United KingdomColne, England12 [30]
Great Northern 1385 May 1864Locomotive United KingdomMetropolitan Railway's Bishop's Road station (now Paddington), London, England [32]
? 1081864Locomotive United KingdomShrewsbury and Hereford Joint Railway, Leominster, England [33]
New York Central Railroad18 June 1864Locomotive United StatesSyracuse, New York3 [26]
USS Tulip11 November 1864Marine (military) United StatesPotomac River, Maryland49
Eclipse (steamboat)[34] 27 January 1865 Marine (military) United States Tennessee River 38
Sultana27 April 1865Marine (civilian) United StatesMemphis, Tennessee1169
Staten Island Ferry Westfield II 30 July 1871 Marine (civilian) United States New York City, New York 45–91 78–208 [35][36][37][38]
Spa Well Mill15 December 1873Industrial United KingdomElland, England34 [39]
Town & Son Factory9 June 1869Industrial United KingdomBingley, England15 [40]
SS Senator6 May 1875Marine (civilian) United StatesPortland, Oregon
HMS Thunderer14 July 1876Marine (military) United KingdomPortsmouth Harbour, England4570
Boston Stamping Company, under Seavey & Co.6 April 1878Industrial United StatesEast Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts36
Railway explosion21 December 1881Locomotive AustraliaKatoomba, New South Wales Unverified report[41]
Queensland Railways1890Locomotive AustraliaQueensland
North East Dundas Tramway18 June 1892Locomotive AustraliaTasmania
Annie Faxon14 April 1893Marine (civilian) United StatesColumbia River8
Zeehan1 May 1899Locomotive AustraliaZeehan, Tasmania
Great Eastern Railway No. 52225 September 1900Locomotive United KingdomWesterfield, England22 [42]
Grover Shoe Factory disaster20 March 1905Industrial United StatesBrockton, Massachusetts58150
HMS Implacable12 July 1905Marine (military) United Kingdom2
USS Bennington21 July 1905Marine (military) United StatesSan Diego, California66
T.J. Salts Lumber Company 7 August 1905 Industrial United States Del Rio, Tennessee 5 16 [43][self-published source?]
HMS Implacable16 August 1906Marine (military) United Kingdom2
Hemingway Paint & Colour Manufacturers23 August 1907Industrial United KingdomMillwall, London, England2 [44]
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 [45]
Morewood Lake Ice Company explosion29 December 1910Industrial United StatesPittsfield, Massachusetts1720
SS Sarah Dixon18 January 1912Marine (civilian) United StatesKalama, Washington3
Southern Pacific Roundhouse18 March 1912Locomotive United StatesSan Antonio, Texas26 [46]
Rumney Shed21 April 1912Locomotive United KingdomCardiff, Wales
SS City of Liverpool24 February 1913Marine (civilian) United KingdomManchester Ship Canal, Runcorn, England1 [47]
SS James T. Staples10 January 1913Marine (civilian) United StatesBladon Springs, Alabama2621 [48][49]
Destroyer Ikazuchi9 October 1913Marine (military) JapanOminato
Southern Pacific 4037 February 14, 1914 Locomotive United States Southern Pacific's San Joaquin Division [50]
Maine Central Railroad1915Locomotive United StatesAyers Junction, Pembroke, Maine [51]
Medina-Salamanca Railway No.210 January 1918Locomotive SpainMedina del Campo15150 [52]
London and North Western Railway 13211 November 1921Locomotive United KingdomBuxton, England21 [53]
Chicago and North Western 113217 December 1926Locomotive United StatesGlenrock, Wyoming1 [54][55]
Southern Pacific 4017 September 12, 1929 Locomotive United States [50]
LMS 6399 Fury10 February 1930Locomotive United Kingdom1
Southern Pacific 4402 December 25, 1931 Locomotive United States Near Richvale, California [56]
Elkhorn Piney Coal Company27 January 1934Locomotive United StatesPowellton, West Virginia16
Deutsche Reichsbahn 02 1013 April 1939Locomotive Germany
Southern Pacific 4199 May 3, 1941 Locomotive United States Cooper, California 4 [50]
Canadian National 2429 August 1941Locomotive CanadaMontreal, Quebec11
Pennsylvania Railroad 52014 November 1942Locomotive United StatesCresson, Pennsylvania24
SS Cascades1943Marine (civilian) United StatesPortland, Oregon
New York Central Railroad J-3a No. 5450 while hauling the 20th Century Limited7 September 1943Locomotive United StatesCanastota, New York3 [26][57]
USATC S160 Class1943, 1944Locomotive United Kingdom
Great Northern 25819 January 1947Locomotive United StatesCrary, North Dakota?? [58]
Chicago and North Western R-1 8 October 1947Locomotive United StatesLake Preston, South Dakota1 [59][60]
RL Smith Lumber Company 9114 February 1948Locomotive United StatesCanby, California22 [61]
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway locomotive no. 302012 May 1948Locomotive USANear Chillicothe, Ohio30 [62]
Union Pacific 901820 October 1948Locomotive United States1.97 miles (3.17 km) east of Upland, Kansas3 [63]
Deutsche Reichsbahn 95 66794 May 1951Locomotive East GermanyMeiningen Steam Locomotive Works, Meiningen11
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 16429 June 1953Locomotive United StatesHinton, West Virginia3 [64]
British Railways24 January 1962Locomotive United KingdomBletchley, England02
New York Telephone Company building explosion3 October 1962Stationary power United StatesNew York City, New York2394 [65]
PNKA CC 5002 (Bendul Explosion) 11 April 1968 Locomotive Indonesia Purwakarta, West Java 6 1
USS Basilone5 February 1973Marine (military) United States7
Deutsche Reichsbahn 01 151627 November 1977Locomotive East GermanyRailway station, Bitterfeld945
Gettysburg Railroad No. 127816 June 1995Locomotive United StatesGardners, Pennsylvania2 [66]
USS Willamette29 June 1995Marine (military) United States07
Ford River Rouge complex 2 February 1999 Industrial United States Dearborn, Michigan 6
Medina County Fair Ground29 July 2001Antique steam tractor United StatesMedina County, Ohio5c. 40 [67][68][69]
SS Norway25 May 2003Marine (civilian) United StatesMiami, Florida817
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) 20 May 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 College24 June 2009Industrial New ZealandOrewa, Auckland11 [70]
Loy-Lange Box Company3 April 2017Industrial United StatesSt. Louis, Missouri43 [71][72]

See also

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References

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  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. 1 2 3 4 5 Hewison 1983, p. 26.
  3. 1 2 Grohman, Adam M. (April 2011). "Sentinels and Saviors of the Sea" (PDF). Boating World U.S. Coast Guard Series. River & Sound Publishing of NY. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2011. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 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. Leeds: Crosby & Co. pp. 303–04.
  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. London: W. A. Robertson. 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 (1850). Report of the Special Committee: Catastrophe In Hague Street. New York: McSpedon & Baker. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  23. ↑ Little, George P. (1860). The Fireman's Own Book, Chapter: Explosion and Fire in Hague Street. pp. 259–277. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  24. ↑ "The Dreadful Explosion in New York". The Friend: A Religious and Literary Journal: 176. 16 February 1850. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  25. ↑ Baxter 1982a, p. 27.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Shaw 1978, p. 48.
  27. ↑ 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.
  28. ↑ Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 10, Number 1456, 24 November 1855 p.2, col.5
  29. ↑ Rolt & Kichenside 1982, p. 71.
  30. 1 2 Rolt & Kichenside 1982, p. 72.
  31. ↑ William, Smith (1866). Rambles about Morley. London: John Russell Smith. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  32. ↑ Rolt & Kichenside 1982, pp. 72–73.
  33. ↑ Rolt & Kichenside 1982, p. 73.
  34. ↑ Ullrich, Dieter (2020). "The Explosion of the Steamer Eclipse". West Tennessee Historical Society Papers. Faculty Research at Morehead State University. 74: 54–72.
  35. ↑ 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.
  36. ↑ 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.
  37. ↑ "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.
  38. ↑ "Who Was to Blame?" (PDF). New-York Tribune. 2 August 1871. p. 4. Retrieved 27 September 2017 – via Fultonhistory.com.
  39. ↑ Huddersfield Chronicle, 17 December 1873, p. 4, printed in Huddersfield, England
  40. ↑ Burke, Edmund (1869). "June 9, 1869". The Annual Register. p. 55. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  41. ↑ "Boiler Explosion". Evening News. 26 December 1881. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  42. ↑ von Donop, P. G. (13 November 1900). "BoT_Westerfield1900.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  43. ↑ "1 - Home Page". T. J. Salts Lumber Mill Boiler Explosion. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  44. ↑ Lincolnshire Echo, 24 August 1907, p. 4, col. 3, printed in Lincoln, England
  45. ↑ Rolt & Kichenside 1982, pp. 74–75.
  46. ↑ "The Great Locomotive Explosion". colfa.utsa.edu. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
  47. ↑ Directors' minutes of North Lonsdale Ironworls Co, BDB47 box 16 at CRO, Barrow
  48. ↑ 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.
  49. ↑ James V. Swift (14 May 2001). "This Southern Steamboat Had A Tragic Ending" (PDF). Waterways Journal. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
  50. 1 2 3 Reed, Brian (1972). Loco Profile 28: S.P. Cab-in-Fronts. Windsor, Berkshire: Profile. p. 95.
  51. ↑ Shaw 1978, p. 49.
  52. ↑ "La Horrorosa Catástrofe de Medina" [The terrible disaster of Medina]. El Adelanto de Salamanca [The Forward of Salamanca]. 11 January 1918. p. 2. Spain: Ministry of Culture.
  53. ↑ "Accident at Buxton on 11th November 1921". Railways Archive. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  54. ↑ Jorg, Ray (Winter 1995). "C&NW R-1 Disposition List". North Western Lines. pp. 64–65.
  55. ↑ "Roland Cross is victim of rail tragedy this morning". Casper Star-Tribune. 17 December 1926. p. 1. Retrieved 9 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  56. ↑ Reed, Brian. Loco Profile 20: The American 4-8-4. Windor, Berkshire: Profile.
  57. ↑ 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.
  58. ↑ Keyes, Norman C. Jr; Middleton, Kenneth R. (Autumn 1980). "The Great Northern Railway Company: All-Time Locomotive Roster, 1861–1970". Railroad History (143). Boston: Railway & Locomotive Historical Society.
  59. ↑ Siefker, Mike (8 December 2021). "1947: Steam locomotive explodes, kills night watchman". Kingsbury Journal. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  60. ↑ "ONE DEAD IN LOCOMOTIVE BLAST". Argus-Leader. 8 October 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 9 March 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  61. ↑ "Foothill Rails Rosters P-Q-R".
  62. ↑ United States Government Publications Monthly Catalog. Washington: United States Government Printing Office. August 1948. p. 969.
  63. ↑ Kratville, William W.; Bush, John E. (1995). The Union Pacific Type. Vol. II. Omaha, Nebraska: AutoLiner. pp. 282–289. LCCN 90082171.
  64. ↑ Long, Roy (29 October 2002). "Railroad Recollections: More About Engine 1642 Explosion". The Hinton News. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  65. ↑ "BOILER-BLAST SUIT ASKS $8.2 MILLION; 10 Sue in '62 Phone Building Explosion Fatal to 23". The New York Times. 15 July 1964.
  66. ↑ "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.
  67. ↑ Boiler Explosion in Ohio, USA First Hand Observations from Andrew Semple
  68. ↑ "Steam Engine Blast At Ohio Fairgrounds Leaves 4 Men Dead". The New York Times. 30 July 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  69. ↑ "The Final Report on the Tragedy at the Medina County Fairgrounds – Steam Engines – Steam Traction". Farm Collector. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  70. ↑ Ruscoe, Kim (25 June 2009). "Death after school boiler explosion". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  71. ↑ 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.
  72. ↑ 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

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  • Baxter, Bertram (1978). Baxter, David (ed.). British Locomotive Catalogue 1825–1923. Vol. 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. Vol. 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

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Contemporary listings and accounts

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Other

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  • 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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