92 of 159 passengers would die when a wrought-iron bridge collapsed and the Pacific Express fell 70 feet into the frozen Ashtabula River.
All in Disasters
Silver Bridge Collapse
46 people died as cars and trucks plunged 100 feet into the near-freezing water of the Ohio River.
Catastrophic Fail
It was on this day in Los Angeles that the Baldwin Hills Reservoir crumbled apart and released 250,000,000 gallons of water into the surrounding neighborhoods.
Times Beach
The federal government would spend $32 million to relocate the citizens, plus another $110 million on the subsequent cleanup.
Quebec Bridge
In 1907 two massive sections of the bridge snapped off and plunged over 300 feet into the Saint Lawrence River.
The Westfield Ferry
In 1871, 125 lives were lost when one of the Staten Island ferries exploded.
Empire State Disaster
A B-25 bomber on a routine transport mission slammed into the Empire State Building.
Wingfoot Air Express
In 1919, a dirigible called the Wingfoot Air Express burst into flames and crashed through the skylight of a Chicago bank killing 13 people.
Death at the Hyatt
114 people were killed and over 200 were injured when an elevated walkway collapsed at the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Missouri.
Miss Macao
In 1948, 25 people died in the first known hijacking of a commercial plane.
Gulliver's Inferno
A nightclub fire in Port Chester, New York claimed 24 lives.
Mianus
In 1983, a 100-foot section of the Mianus River Bridge collapsed and 4 vehicles plunged into the shallow water below.
37 Days Under an Avalanche
On this date 3 survivors finally emerged from an avalanche after 37 days. It's one of the longest cases on record of anyone surviving after being buried alive in the snow.
The Tri-State Tornado
The deadliest tornado in U.S. history struck on this day, carving a 219-mile path of destruction across Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.
Long Beach Earthquake
Over 200 schools were destroyed in the disaster and it was clear that had the quake struck during school hours the death toll would have been significantly higher.
Plunge into Hell
It was on this day that 12-year-old Todd Dobowski of Centralia, Pennsylvania fell into a hot, gaseous void caused by an underground coal fire.
The Louisville Sewer Disaster
Manhole covers whizzed through the air. Students were jolted out of their beds. Toilets erupted into fountains of raw sewage.
When the Mississippi Ran Backward
It was on this day that a powerful earthquake rattled New Madrid, Missouri.
Mountain of the Dead
It was on this night that 9 Russian hikers lost their lives in a bizarre incident that remains one of the world's greatest unsolved mysteries.
Project Crested Ice
A bomber carrying four hydrogen bombs crashes, scattering radioactive debris across miles of sea ice.