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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

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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 81 13 55 [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]
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

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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. ^ a b c d e Hewison 1983, p. 26.
  3. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c 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

[edit]
  • 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

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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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