List of boiler explosions

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

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

Events

Event	Date	Type	Nation	City/Locale	Killed	Injured	Missing	References
Savery explosion	1716	Industrial	United Kingdom		1			[1]
Brunton's Mechanical Traveller	31 July 1815	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Philadelphia, England	16			[2]
SS Washington	1816	Marine (civilian)	United States	Marietta, Ohio	12	5		[3]
SS Constitution	1817	Marine (civilian)	United States	Mississippi River	30			[4]
The Aetna	15 May 1824	Marine (civilian)	United States	New York City, New York	10	40		[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 1828	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Simpasture, near Shildon, England	1	1		[2] [5]
Stockton and Darlington Railway Locomotion No. 1	1 July 1828	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Aycliffe Lane, Heighington, England	1			[2]
SS Helen McGregor	24 February 1830	Marine (civilian)	United States	Memphis, Tennessee				[4]
Best Friend of Charleston	17 June 1831	Locomotive	United States	Charleston, South Carolina	1	3		[6]
Locomotive under test	November 1834	Locomotive	United States	Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Baltimore, Maryland	1			[7]
Liverpool and Manchester Railway No. 33 Patentee	12 November 1834	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Whiston Bank, Whiston, England				[8]
PS Union	1837	Marine (civilian)	United Kingdom	Hull, England	23	20		[9] [10] [11] [12]
SS Moselle	28 April 1838	Marine (civilian)	United States	Cincinnati, Ohio	160	13		[13]
SS Pulaski	14 June 1838	Marine (civilian)	United States	Cape Hatteras, North Carolina	128
New York and Harlem Railroad	4 July 1839	Locomotive	United States	14th Street, New York City, New York	2	5		[14]
Surprise	10 November 1840	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Bromsgrove railway station, Bromsgrove, England	2			[15] [2]
SS Henry Eckford	27 April 1841	Marine (civilian)	United States	New York City, New York	1	2
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Richmond	2 September 1844	Locomotive	United States	Reading, Pennsylvania	4			[16]
London and North Western Railway 122 Goliah	1847	Locomotive	United Kingdom					[17]
Great Western Railway Goliah	29 June 1849	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Foot of Hemerdon Bank, Plympton, England	1			[18]
London and North Western Railway 401	1850	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Longsight, Manchester, England				[19]
Firth Woollen Mill	1850	Industrial	United Kingdom	Halifax, England	12	17		[20] [21]
Hague Street explosion	4 February 1850	Industrial	United States	New York City, New York	67	50		[22] [23] [24]
Midland Railway 363 (ex Bristol and Gloucester Railway 7 Wickwar)	8 January 1853	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Clay Hill, Bristol, England				[25]
Erie Railroad	16 June 1853	Locomotive	United States	Susquehanna, Pennsylvania	5			[26]
SS Canemah	8 August 1853	Marine (civilian)	United States	Champoeg, Oregon	1
SS Shoalwater	May 1853	Marine (civilian)	United States	Rock Island, Oregon
SS Gazelle	8 April 1854	Marine (civilian)	United States	Oregon City, Oregon	24	many
Fieldhouse Mills	15 July 1855	Industrial	United Kingdom	Rochdale, England	10	13		[27]
Georgiana	23 November 1855	Marine (civilian)	United States	Petaluma, California	1	2	0	[28]
SS Pennsylvania	13 June 1858	Marine (civilian)	United States	Memphis, Tennessee	250
London and North Western Railway 249	4 July 1861	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Rugby, Warwickshire	1			[29]
Erie Railroad	25 October 1862	Locomotive	United States	Docks, Jersey City, New Jersey	5			[26]
Great Western Railway Perseus	November 1862	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Westbourne Park shed, London, England				[30]
Hembrigg Mills	27 June 1863	Industrial	United Kingdom	Morley, England	9			[31]
SS Ada Hancock	23 April 1863	Marine (civilian)	United States	San Pedro Bay, California	26	23
Tugboat Greenwood	15 June 1863	Marine (civilian)	United States	Barrytown, New York	7	3	3
Calcutta explosion	1863		India	Kolkata
Merrick Sons, Southwark Foundry	6 April 1864	Industrial	United States	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	7	13
USS Chenango	15 April 1864	Marine (military)	United States	New York City, New York	28	6
Midland Railway 356	5 May 1864	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Colne, England	1	2		[30]
Great Northern 138	5 May 1864	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Metropolitan Railway's Bishop's Road station (now Paddington), London, England				[32]
? 108	1864	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Shrewsbury and Hereford Joint Railway, Leominster, England				[33]
New York Central Railroad	18 June 1864	Locomotive	United States	Syracuse, New York	3			[26]
USS Tulip	11 November 1864	Marine (military)	United States	Potomac River, Maryland	49
Eclipse (steamboat) [34]	27 January 1865	Marine (military)	United States	Tennessee River	38
Sultana	27 April 1865	Marine (civilian)	United States	Memphis, Tennessee	1169
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 Mill	15 December 1873	Industrial	United Kingdom	Elland, England	3	4		[39]
Town & Son Factory	9 June 1869	Industrial	United Kingdom	Bingley, England	15			[40]
SS Senator	6 May 1875	Marine (civilian)	United States	Portland, Oregon
HMS Thunderer	14 July 1876	Marine (military)	United Kingdom	Portsmouth Harbour, England	45	70
Boston Stamping Company, under Seavey & Co.	6 April 1878	Industrial	United States	East Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts	3	6
Railway explosion	21 December 1881	Locomotive	Australia	Katoomba, New South Wales				Unverified report [41]
Queensland Railways	1890	Locomotive	Australia	Queensland
North East Dundas Tramway	18 June 1892	Locomotive	Australia	Tasmania
Annie Faxon	14 April 1893	Marine (civilian)	United States	Columbia River	8
Zeehan	1 May 1899	Locomotive	Australia	Zeehan, Tasmania
Great Eastern Railway No. 522	25 September 1900	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Westerfield, England	2	2		[42]
Grover Shoe Factory disaster	20 March 1905	Industrial	United States	Brockton, Massachusetts	58	150
HMS Implacable	12 July 1905	Marine (military)	United Kingdom		2
USS Bennington	21 July 1905	Marine (military)	United States	San Diego, California	66
T.J. Salts Lumber Company	7 August 1905	Industrial	United States	Del Rio, Tennessee	5	16		[43] [ self-published source? ]
HMS Implacable	16 August 1906	Marine (military)	United Kingdom		2
Hemingway Paint & Colour Manufacturers	23 August 1907	Industrial	United Kingdom	Millwall, London, England		2		[44]
Central of Georgia Railway	October 12, 1907	Locomotive	United States	Reynolds, Georgia	2	2	0
Boiler house at Laura coal mine	September 15, 1908	industrial	Netherlands	Eygelshoven, the Netherlands	7	many
Rhymney Railway 97	1909	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Rhymney Railway's shed, Cardiff, Wales	3	3		[45]
Morewood Lake Ice Company explosion	29 December 1910	Industrial	United States	Pittsfield, Massachusetts	17	20
SS Sarah Dixon	18 January 1912	Marine (civilian)	United States	Kalama, Washington	3
Southern Pacific Roundhouse	18 March 1912	Locomotive	United States	San Antonio, Texas	26			[46]
Rumney Shed	21 April 1912	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Cardiff, Wales
SS City of Liverpool	24 February 1913	Marine (civilian)	United Kingdom	Manchester Ship Canal, Runcorn, England	1			[47]
SS James T. Staples	10 January 1913	Marine (civilian)	United States	Bladon Springs, Alabama	26	21		[48] [49]
Destroyer Ikazuchi	9 October 1913	Marine (military)	Japan	Ominato
Southern Pacific 4037	February 14, 1914	Locomotive	United States	Southern Pacific's San Joaquin Division				[50]
Maine Central Railroad	1915	Locomotive	United States	Ayers Junction, Pembroke, Maine				[51]
Medina-Salamanca Railway No.2	10 January 1918	Locomotive	Spain	Medina del Campo	15	15	0	[52]
London and North Western Railway 132	11 November 1921	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Buxton, England	2	1		[53]
Southern Pacific 4017	September 12, 1929	Locomotive	United States					[50]
LMS 6399 Fury	10 February 1930	Locomotive	United Kingdom		1
Southern Pacific 4402	December 25, 1931	Locomotive	United States	Near Richvale, California				[54]
Elkhorn Piney Coal Company	27 January 1934	Locomotive	United States	Powellton, West Virginia	16
Deutsche Reichsbahn 02 101	3 April 1939	Locomotive	Germany
Southern Pacific 4199	May 3, 1941	Locomotive	United States	Cooper, California	4			[50]
Canadian National 242	9 August 1941	Locomotive	Canada	Montreal, Quebec	1	1
Pennsylvania Railroad 520	14 November 1942	Locomotive	United States	Cresson, Pennsylvania	2	4
SS Cascades	1943	Marine (civilian)	United States	Portland, Oregon
New York Central Railroad J-3a No. 5450 while hauling the 20th Century Limited	7 September 1943	Locomotive	United States	Canastota, New York	3			[26] [55]
USATC S160 Class	1943, 1944	Locomotive	United Kingdom
Great Northern 2581	9 January 1947	Locomotive	United States	Crary, North Dakota	?	?		[56]
RL Smith Lumber Company 91	14 February 1948	Locomotive	United States	Canby, California	2	2		[57]
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway locomotive no. 3020	12 May 1948	Locomotive	USA	Near Chillicothe, Ohio	3	0		[58]
Union Pacific 9018	20 October 1948	Locomotive	United States	1.97 miles (3.17 km) east of Upland, Kansas	3			[59]
Deutsche Reichsbahn 95 6679	4 May 1951	Locomotive	East Germany	Meiningen Steam Locomotive Works, Meiningen	11
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway 1642	9 June 1953	Locomotive	United States	Hinton, West Virginia	3			[60]
British Railways	24 January 1962	Locomotive	United Kingdom	Bletchley, England	0	2
New York Telephone Company building explosion	3 October 1962	Stationary power	United States	New York City, New York	23	94		[61]
PNKA CC 5002 (Bendul Explosion)	11 April 1968	Locomotive	Indonesia	Purwakarta, West Java	6	1
USS Basilone	5 February 1973	Marine (military)	United States		7
Deutsche Reichsbahn 01 1516	27 November 1977	Locomotive	East Germany	Railway station, Bitterfeld	9	45
Gettysburg Railroad No. 1278	16 June 1995	Locomotive	United States	Gardners, Pennsylvania		2		[62]
USS Willamette	29 June 1995	Marine (military)	United States		0	7
Ford River Rouge complex	2 February 1999	Industrial	United States	Dearborn, Michigan	6
Medina County Fair Ground	29 July 2001	Antique steam tractor	United States	Medina County, Ohio	5	c. 40		[63] [64] [65]
SS Norway	25 May 2003	Marine (civilian)	United States	Miami, Florida	8	17
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 College	24 June 2009	Industrial	New Zealand	Orewa, Auckland	1	1		[66]
Loy-Lange Box Company	3 April 2017	Industrial	United States	St. Louis, Missouri	4	3		[67] [68]

See also

• List of boiling liquid expanding vapor explosions

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. 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. 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 1982, p. 27.
26. 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. 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. 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. Reed, Brian. Loco Profile 20: The American 4-8-4. Windor, Berkshire: Profile.
55. 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.
56. 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.
57. "Foothill Rails Rosters P-Q-R".
58. United States Government Publications Monthly Catalog. Washington: United States Government Printing Office. August 1948. p. 969.
59. Kratville, William W.; Bush, John E. (1995). The Union Pacific Type. Vol. II. Omaha, Nebraska: AutoLiner. pp. 282–289. LCCN   90082171.
60. Long, Roy (29 October 2002). "Railroad Recollections: More About Engine 1642 Explosion". The Hinton News. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
61. "BOILER-BLAST SUIT ASKS $8.2 MILLION; 10 Sue in '62 Phone Building Explosion Fatal to 23". The New York Times. 15 July 1964.
62. "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.
63. Boiler Explosion in Ohio, USA First Hand Observations from Andrew Semple
64. "Steam Engine Blast At Ohio Fairgrounds Leaves 4 Men Dead". The New York Times. 30 July 2001. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
65. "The Final Report on the Tragedy at the Medina County Fairgrounds – Steam Engines – Steam Traction". Farm Collector. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
66. Ruscoe, Kim (25 June 2009). "Death after school boiler explosion". Stuff.co.nz . Retrieved 29 May 2013.
67. 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.
68. 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

• Abel, F. A. (March 1875). "On Accidental Explosions". Notices of the Proceedings at the Meetings of the Members of the Royal Institution: 390–396. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
• Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons (1877). Parliamentary Papers, "361. Boiler Explosions" (For Years 1875-1876). London: HMSO . Retrieved 13 June 2009.
• Manchester Steam Users' Association for the Prevention of Steam Boiler Explosions (Founded 1855)
  • Laxton, William (1866). "July 31st Meeting". The Civil Engineer & Architect's Journal. 29 (September 1): 265–267. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  • Laxton, William (1866). "September 25th Meeting". The Civil Engineer & Architect's Journal. 29 (November 1): 333–336. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
  • Laxton, William (1866). "October 30th Meeting". The Civil Engineer & Architect's Journal. 29 (December 1): 359–. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
• Marten E.B. Records of Steam Boiler Explosions Various volumes, e.g. 1869 at Open Library; 1872 at Open Library; 1875, 1878, 1890 covering explosions in Britain.
• The National Boiler Insurance Company
  • Laxton, William (1866). "Abstract of Report". The Civil Engineer & Architect's Journal. 29 (February 1st): 39–40. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
• Redfield, William C. (1839). Letter To The Secretary Of The Treasury, On The History and Causes of Steamboat Explosions And The Means Of Prevention. New York: william Osborn. ISBN   978-0-608-40457-8 . Retrieved 13 June 2009.
• Stryker, James (March 1849). "Steam Boiler Explosions". Strykers American Register and Magazine. II (I): 100–101. Retrieved 13 June 2009.
• Thurston, R. H. (1903). Steam-Boiler Explosions in Theory and in Practice, Chapter: The Statistics of Explosions (3rd ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved 13 June 2009.

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.