A cargo ship fire triggered the largest explosion before the atomic bomb. 2,000 dead. Halifax destroyed. This true story reshaped disaster response—and it all started with a spark on the water.—and you’ve probably never heard of it.
On December 6, 1917, the SS Mont-Blanc collided with another ship in Halifax Harbor. Twenty minutes later, it exploded—flattening neighborhoods, killing 2,000, and rewriting the rules of disaster response. Here's how a small accident changed the world forever.
🎧 Like, comment, and subscribe for more short-but-mind-blowing history episodes every week.
🔁 Related episode: “London Ablaze: Tragedy, Blame, and Rebirth in 1666” – https://youtu.be/zB4575siib0
🎙️ From An Ounce, your dose of surprising true stories.
#HalifaxExplosion #History #Disaster #WWI #AnOuncePodcast #CargoShipBlast #ForgottenHistory
⏱️ Timestamps
0:00 – A Quiet Morning in Halifax
1:08 – Two Ships, One Dangerous Secret
3:24 – Miscommunication and the Collision
5:02 – The Fire Everyone Watched
6:37 – The Explosion That Flattened a City
9:20 – Relief, Response, and a Boston Christmas Tree
11:22 – The Takeaway: Small Sparks, Big Consequences
________________________________________
🔗 References
• CBC Archive Overview: https://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/the-halifax-explosion
• Canadian War Museum: https://www.warmuseum.ca/firstworldwar/history/life-at-home-during-the-war/the-halifax-explosion
• Britannica Entry: https://www.britannica.com/event/Halifax-explosion
• Anchor Distance Map: https://www.novascotiahistory.ca/halifax-explosion-artifacts-map
________________________________________
Media Credits: Images and video via Wikimedia and Picryl as noted in video, images also obtained through iStock and Getty. And representative AI generated scenes as noted. Music via YouTube Music Library (Yacoby, Wind-Up Mountains, and Never Don’t Stop by Schwartzy)
👉Watch the weekly podcast, 'An Ounce', at - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvguDu9efxtrh6QOIZpApuBCHIfaZQmmP

10 second pre-roll promo for An Ounce Podcast on YouTube