On April 16, 1947, the ships Grandcamp, High Flyer, and Wilson B. Keene were docked in the Texas City port with cargo including ammonium nitrate fertilizer bound for Europe to assist in the post-World War II recovery effort. At 8:33 a.m. the Texas City fire department answered a call for a fire on the Grandcamp, and as smoke billowed from the ship, spectators gathered to watch. The Grandcamp exploded at 9:12 a.m. with tremendous force felt for miles around. A second explosion followed at 1:10 a.m. on April 17, when the High Flyer's cargo caught fire, destroying the Wilson B. Keene as well. More than 550 people, including 27 firemen, were killed, thousands more were injured by flying concrete, steel, and glass, and the resulting fires took days to extinguish. Relief came immediately, with the American Red Cross coordinating efforts, and the disaster's far-reaching effects included the implementation of safety standards and revised emergency medical treatment procedures. Citizens were determined to rebuild, and by 1950 few physical reminders remained, although the event retained a prominent place in state and national history.

Photo: Courtesy of the University of Houston Libraries Special Collections via Wikipedia. By unknown

Photo: Gregory Walker

Photo: Jim Evans

Photo: Jim Evans

Texas City, Texas · USA