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Disaster Area

Disaster Area

283 episodes — Page 2 of 6

Episode 222: Pan Am Flight 103 - Part One

It's the first night of winter on a windy night in Scotland when a loud noise broke the quiet over a small village. What followed was a fiery nightmare caused by the cruel intentions of others. Videos: Air Crash Investigations: Pan Am Flight 103 Lockerbie Bombing: Smithsonian special on Paramount+ Articles and videos: AAIB report on Pan Am Flight 103 Skygods, by Robert Gandt Colonel Gaddafi 'ordered Lockerbie bombing' Anger at Lockerbie bomber welcome Pan Am Jet Crashes in Scotland, Killing 270 Libya Admits Culpability In Crash of Pan Am Plane Lockerbie and the worst Christmas imaginable New Charges in Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Lockerbie bombing suspect is now in US custody Pan Am Flight 103 Terrorist Suspect in Custody for 1988 Bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland Syracuse University Remembrance Week Schedule 2023

Nov 1, 202358 min

Episode 221: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquke and tsunami - Part 3

In the third part of our story, we look at the train disaster caused by the tsunami and the aftermath of the disaster. Videos: Compilation in chronological order of videos of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami The man who Filmed the Tsunami - Shocking footage of the Indonesian disaster Thunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions: Sri Lanka Train Disaster 18 Years Later The Wave That Shook the World Tsunami: Caught on Camera 2004 Boxing Day tsunami playlist Articles and books: One train, more than 1,700 dead 10 years after tsunami, Utah man recovers, composes music linked to experiences The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: The Story of the Deadliest Natural Disaster of the 21st Century, by Charles River Editors Wave of Destruction: The Stories of Four Families and History's Deadliest Tsunami, by Erich Krauss Scientists: Sumatra quake longest ever recorded Power of tsunami earthquake heavily underestimated Girl, 10, used geography lesson to save lives The Devastating 2004 Tsunami: Timeline 10 Years Since Dec 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: 17 years on, a look back at one of the deadliest natural disasters in history Blast from the Past The Volcanic Eruption of Krakatoa

Sep 29, 20231h 41m

Episode 220: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami - Part 2

First came the earthquake, then came the wave. Videos: Compilation in chronological order of videos of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami The man who Filmed the Tsunami - Shocking footage of the Indonesian disaster Thunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions: Sri Lanka Train Disaster 18 Years Later The Wave That Shook the World Tsunami: Caught on Camera Articles and books: One train, more than 1,700 dead 10 years after tsunami, Utah man recovers, composes music linked to experiences The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: The Story of the Deadliest Natural Disaster of the 21st Century, by Charles River Editors Wave of Destruction: The Stories of Four Families and History's Deadliest Tsunami, by Erich Krauss Scientists: Sumatra quake longest ever recorded Power of tsunami earthquake heavily underestimated Girl, 10, used geography lesson to save lives The Devastating 2004 Tsunami: Timeline 10 Years Since Dec 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: 17 years on, a look back at one of the deadliest natural disasters in history Blast from the Past The Volcanic Eruption of Krakatoa

Sep 22, 20231h 10m

Episode 219: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami - Part 1

On December 26th, 2004, the world experienced one of the deadliest natural disasters we will ever see in our lifetimes. In part one, we will look at the earthquake which was just the start of a horrific tragedy. Videos: Compilation in chronological order of videos of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami The man who Filmed the Tsunami - Shocking footage of the Indonesian disaster Thunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions: Sri Lanka Train Disaster 18 Years Later The Wave That Shook the World Tsunami: Caught on Camera Articles and books: One train, more than 1,700 dead 10 years after tsunami, Utah man recovers, composes music linked to experiences The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: The Story of the Deadliest Natural Disaster of the 21st Century, by Charles River Editors Wave of Destruction: The Stories of Four Families and History's Deadliest Tsunami, by Erich Krauss Scientists: Sumatra quake longest ever recorded Power of tsunami earthquake heavily underestimated Girl, 10, used geography lesson to save lives The Devastating 2004 Tsunami: Timeline 10 Years Since Dec 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: 17 years on, a look back at one of the deadliest natural disasters in history Blast from the Past The Volcanic Eruption of Krakatoa

Sep 15, 202358 min

Episode 218: The Chilwell munitions factory explosion

On a hot summer day in 1918, the night shift workers at the National Shell Filling Factory No. 6 in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, England, arrived as per usual. One hundred and thirty-four of them would be dead within an hour and a half. Videos: Nottingham Forgotten Heroes #9 The Chilwell Munitions Workers The History Chap: The Chilwell Munitions Factory Explosion Articles and books: A History of the First World War in 100 Moments: When corpses fell from the Nottinghamshire sky Historic England Research Records: National Filling Factory Number 6 Chilwell Remembering the Chilwell Depot Explosion of 1918 and the Canary Girls, by Marian Dean Chilwell explosion: Events mark centenary of factory blast University of Nottingham Manuscripts and Special Collections: Chilwell Shell Filling Factory Explosion Footage of Chilwell shell factory found in shed seen for the first time in 100 years Revenge of the Curds: Remembering the Great Nottingham Cheese Riot of 1766 The History Press: Disaster at the Chilwell shell-filling factory Nottingham County Council: Chilwell National Shell Filling Factory Explosion

Aug 1, 20231h 37m

Episode 217: The I35W bridge collapse

Rush hour is bad enough. The bridge you're on collapsing as you cross it during rush hour is even worse. Videos: I Survived ...: Virginia Tech and the I35W collapse 20/20 In An Instant: Rush Hour Disaster I-35W Bridge Collapse Structure and Components and Initial Failure 10 years later: Survivors reflect on the 35W bridge collapse Articles and books: NTSB: Design errors factor in 2007 bridge collapse Questions Rise About Previous Knowledge Of Bridge Hopes Dim in Minneapolis for Survivors Park board approves site for I-35W bridge memorial Hundreds turn out to dedication of 35W bridge memorial NTSB report on the I35W bridge collapse

Jul 21, 20231h 38m

Episode 216: The Club Q shooting

On the eve of the Transgender Day of Remembrance in 2022, a person armed with a rifle walked into Club Q, an LGBTQIA+ club in Colorado Springs, CO. What followed was a bloodbath. Videos: Video of Club Q shooting suspect previous threat WATCH: Club Q shooting survivor on how LGBTQ people are 'continually being dehumanized' Watch: Suspect accused of killing five people in the Club Q mass shooting appears in court Club Q Mass Shooting Survivor: It Was Home And To Not Have That Anymore Hurts Articles and books: Timeline: Club Q emergency response What We Know About the Colorado Springs Shooting Gay club shooting suspect evaded Colorado's red flag gun law Colorado Springs Survivor Recounts Terror of LGBTQ Club Shooting: 'All I Could Think of Was Pulse' Army Veteran Went Into 'Combat Mode' to Disarm the Club Q Gunman Colorado police prioritize proper pronouns, names of shooting victims Focus on the Family's Colorado Springs headquarters sign vandalized days after Club Q mass shooting LGBTQ club shooting suspect's troubled past was obscured by a name change, records show Anderson Lee Aldrich: A history of family travail, personal violence Police found rainbow-colored shooting target, map of Club Q in suspect's apartment Preached at, spat on, threatened, Colorado Springs' transgender community grapples with the Club Q attack Trump's Ex-Lawyer Says Colorado Victims Reaping Consequences of 'Eternal Damnation' El Paso Sheriff's Office Statement Regarding Previous Arrest and Charging of Alleged Club Q Shooter Anderson Aldrich

Jul 1, 20231h 35m

Bonus: The OceanGate submersible implosion

While we are still close to the actual disaster for a regular episode on the subject, Jennifer takes an hour and a half to discuss the implosion of the OceanGate submersible on its dive down to the wreck of the Titanic.

Jun 26, 20231h 27m

Episode 215: The Rhoads Opera House fire

In a small Pennsylvania town, the play set to be performed on a cold Monday night in January drew hundreds of people to the Rhoads Opera House. One hundred and seventy of them would never make it home alive. Videos: The Rhoads Opera House Fire: Legacy Of A Tragedy Articles and books: Midwinter Mourning and A Town in Tragedy, by Mary Jane Schneider Trapped in the Third Act: The Rhoads Opera House Fire, Boyertown 1908

Jun 1, 20231h 24m

Episode 214: The Indiana State Fair stage collapse

When the sky darkened and the winds picked up at the Indiana State Fair on August 13th, 2011, those fans waiting for country band Sugarland to perform were worried the concert might be delayed. But there was something far more deadly for those in the audience to worry about. Videos: State Fair Tragedy: 10 Years Later Indianapolis stage collapse compiled raw footage w/ State Fire radio audio Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse - Weather Moments Before Sugarland Opens Up About Tragedy A STAGE FELL ON ME | Indiana State Fair Stage Collapse How the 2011 Indiana State Fair stage collapse lead to major changes in safety at large events Articles and books: 'Forever and yesterday': Remembering the Indiana State Fair stage collapse 10 years later LOOKING BACK ON SUGARLAND'S TRAGIC STAGE COLLAPSE 10 YEARS LATER Video: Flaming Lips' Stage Collapses in Oklahoma $50 million settlement reached in Indiana State Fair stage collapse About us: Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center $39M settlement reached in Indiana State Fair stage collapse case Indiana State Fair Commission Investigative Report by Thornton Thomasetti Indiana stage collapse: was it preventable? Retro Indy: The deadly 1963 Coliseum explosion on Halloween night Indianapolis Monthly: The Collapse Indiana State Fair 2011 Setlists 2011: ISP releases timeline of Indiana State Fair stage collapse Fatality inquiry into 2009 Big Valley Jamboree death says standards needed for stages Storm at Belgium's Pukkelpop music festival kills five after stage collapses

May 19, 20231h 51m

Bonus: The 9/11 Museum

Jennifer recounts her visit to the 9/11 Museum in New York City.

May 16, 20231h 16m

Episode 213: The Amagasaki train derailment

Every day we head off to work or school or wherever else we might be headed with the hope we will arrive there safely. But while we might feel like we can depend on ourselves to keep safe, sometimes our lives are in the hands of pilots, drivers, or engineers who are under extraordinary pressures we have no clue about until it's too late. Videos: Seconds From Disaster: Runaway Train (S 6, Ep 5) Trapped Underground for Hours After Horrific Train Crash (S 1 Ep 3) Fukuchiyama Derailment Mystery (Toshiden podcast, Tara A. Devlin) Articles and books: Families, Survivors Mark 14th Anniversary of Fatal JR West Derailment 54 Killed in Japan Train Crash Japan Train Derailment Two Survivors Pulled From Train Crash in Japan; Death Toll at 76 Second Train Derailment in Japan At Least 73 Dead, 456 Hurt in Japan Train Derailment Toll Rises in Japan Train Wreck Japan Train Crash Toll Climbs Japan's Train Derailment Reaches 95, May Rise Further Rail Company in Japan Investigated Japan Crash Inquiry Focuses on Driver Death Crash Train Driver "Lived in Fear of Being Late" Final Survivor Pulled From Train Wreck in Japan In Japan Crash, Time Obsession May Be Culprit Japanese Rethink Faith in Rail System After Crash Rail Offices Raided in Crash Probe Union Chief Blames 'Bullying' Rail Firm for Japanese Train Crash Victims' Phones Ring Out Across Crash Site Hope Sinks for Japan Crash Survivors Toll in Japan Train Crash Tops 100 Rescuers Find Body of Japan Train Crash Driver Workers Clear Railway Crash Scene as Toll Rises to 107 Japanese Train Crash Linked to Employee Stress Japanese Train Smash Aftermath a Circus Japan Train Driver Gets Reprimand JR West Defends Retraining Regimen Railway Accident Investigation Report Our Goal- A Corporate Culture that Places Top Priority on Safety JR West May Face Crash Negligence Trial If Human Errors are Assumed as Crimes in a Safety Culture: A Lifeworld Analysis of a Rail Crash JR West Punished Staff With Toilet Duty, Cutting Weeds Invisible Mutuality between Structural Inertia and Learning Disability - A Case Study of the West Japan Railway Accident 4.25 Street view of crash site memorial (Inori no Mori) Dawn of Japanese Railways (Mar. 1994) Japan Ex-Rail Chiefs Cleared of Fatal 2005 Crash Japan Marks 10th Anniversary of Fatal Train Crash Top Court Upholds Acquittal of Ex-JR West Heads Over 2005 Derailment Japan's Train Woes Due to Structural Issues in Ageing Equipment, Lack of Young Engineers 2005 Train Crash Site Turned Into Place to Remember Victim Informational pamphlet on Inori no Mori (June 2019) Train Crash Survivor Aims for Bull's Eye at Tokyo Paralympics JR West Plans to Preserve Train Cars in Deadly Derailment in '05 The Derailment Accident on the Fukuchiyama Line Japan's 2005 Deadly Derailment Bereaved Families Struggle to Pass Down Memory: Survey Victims of 2005 Derailment in Amagasaki Remembered Asymmetry of Authority or Information Underlying Insufficient Communication Associated with a Risk of Crashes or Incidents in Passenger Railway Transportation PARALYMPICS: Archery Athlete Never Lost Her Focus After 2005 Train Tragedy Train Driver Sues JR West for ¥56 Deducted Pay Over One Minute Delay Memorial Held for 107 Victims of 2005 Derailment for First Time in Three Years Rescue Operations at the Time of Train Derailment in Amagasaki, Hyogo (Powerpoint, Amagasaki City Fire Dept.) 147 Year History of Japanese Railways (2020) Construction of Local Railways (July 1995) Trains in Japan (2012) About us page of JR West Difference between different types of trains in Japanese train system Crush Injuries and the Crush Syndrome Crush Syndrome Victim Participation in the Criminal Process in Japan (Matsui Shigenori, 2020) Jan. 17, 1995 CE: Kobe Earthquake (6 Apr. 2020)

Apr 28, 20232h 4m

Episode 212: The Grenfell Tower fire - part three

It was just a little house fire. It should have gone out in no time. In a safer building, it would have. But within an hour and a half of the first call to 999 that night, Grenfell Tower was fully ablaze. Videos: Grenfell: The Fire of London Grenfell: The Worst Tower Block Fire in London History Grenfell Tower tragedy in 3D 12 Firefighters have Terminal Cancer Since 2017 Rescue First Reports of Grenfell Tower fire New video timeline shows how the Grenfell Tower fire unfolded What Happened With The Cladding At Grenfell Tower? Articles and books: Show Me The Bodies: How We Let Grenfell Happen, by Peter Apps Grenfell Tower inferno a 'disaster waiting to happen' as concerns are raised for safety of other buildings Concerns raised about Grenfell Tower 'for years' Fire alarm at Grenfell Tower was never meant for residents Grenfell: Cladding firm suggested use of cheaper panels Grenfell Tower refurbishment used cheaper cladding and tenants accused builders of shoddy workmanship Residents warned of 'catastrophic' Grenfell Tower block fire three years ago - but pleas 'fell on deaf ears' Faulty tumble dryer 'caused Shepherd's Bush tower block fire' Twenty-seven minutes and Grenfell Tower fire had taken hold: so why weren't residents told to get out? Grenfell Tower graphic: what we know about how the fire spread Questions Mount After Fire at Grenfell Tower in London Kills at Least 12 IFSEC Global: Grenfell Tower Fire: latest Inquiry updates and full timeline Behailu Kedebe's statement to the inquiry Kingspan: Fire performance of phenolic insulation Dozen Grenfell firefighters diagnosed with terminal cancer Fire crews extinguish blaze at Shepherd's Bush tower block

Mar 15, 20231h 5m

Episode 211: The Grenfell Tower fire - part two

It was just a little house fire. It should have gone out in no time. In a safer building, it would have. But within an hour and a half of the first call to 999 that night, Grenfell Tower was fully ablaze. Videos: Grenfell: The Fire of London Grenfell: The Worst Tower Block Fire in London History Grenfell Tower tragedy in 3D 12 Firefighters have Terminal Cancer Since 2017 Rescue First Reports of Grenfell Tower fire New video timeline shows how the Grenfell Tower fire unfolded What Happened With The Cladding At Grenfell Tower? Articles and books: Show Me The Bodies: How We Let Grenfell Happen, by Peter Apps Grenfell Tower inferno a 'disaster waiting to happen' as concerns are raised for safety of other buildings Concerns raised about Grenfell Tower 'for years' Fire alarm at Grenfell Tower was never meant for residents Grenfell: Cladding firm suggested use of cheaper panels Grenfell Tower refurbishment used cheaper cladding and tenants accused builders of shoddy workmanship Residents warned of 'catastrophic' Grenfell Tower block fire three years ago - but pleas 'fell on deaf ears' Faulty tumble dryer 'caused Shepherd's Bush tower block fire' Twenty-seven minutes and Grenfell Tower fire had taken hold: so why weren't residents told to get out? Grenfell Tower graphic: what we know about how the fire spread Questions Mount After Fire at Grenfell Tower in London Kills at Least 12 IFSEC Global: Grenfell Tower Fire: latest Inquiry updates and full timeline Behailu Kedebe's statement to the inquiry Kingspan: Fire performance of phenolic insulation Dozen Grenfell firefighters diagnosed with terminal cancer Fire crews extinguish blaze at Shepherd's Bush tower block

Mar 8, 202342 min

Episode 210: The Grenfell Tower fire - part one

It was just a little house fire. It should have gone out in no time. In a safer building, it would have. But within an hour and a half of the first call to 999 that night, Grenfell Tower was fully ablaze. Videos: Grenfell: The Fire of London Grenfell: The Worst Tower Block Fire in London History Grenfell Tower tragedy in 3D 12 Firefighters have Terminal Cancer Since 2017 Rescue First Reports of Grenfell Tower fire New video timeline shows how the Grenfell Tower fire unfolded What Happened With The Cladding At Grenfell Tower? Articles and books: Show Me The Bodies: How We Let Grenfell Happen, by Peter Apps Grenfell Tower inferno a 'disaster waiting to happen' as concerns are raised for safety of other buildings Concerns raised about Grenfell Tower 'for years' Fire alarm at Grenfell Tower was never meant for residents Grenfell: Cladding firm suggested use of cheaper panels Grenfell Tower refurbishment used cheaper cladding and tenants accused builders of shoddy workmanship Residents warned of 'catastrophic' Grenfell Tower block fire three years ago - but pleas 'fell on deaf ears' Faulty tumble dryer 'caused Shepherd's Bush tower block fire' Twenty-seven minutes and Grenfell Tower fire had taken hold: so why weren't residents told to get out? Grenfell Tower graphic: what we know about how the fire spread Questions Mount After Fire at Grenfell Tower in London Kills at Least 12 IFSEC Global: Grenfell Tower Fire: latest Inquiry updates and full timeline Behailu Kedebe's statement to the inquiry Kingspan: Fire performance of phenolic insulation Dozen Grenfell firefighters diagnosed with terminal cancer Fire crews extinguish blaze at Shepherd's Bush tower block

Mar 1, 202352 min

Episode 209: The sinking of the SS Princess Sophia

Have you ever been stranded in your car in the middle of a snowstorm? Now imagine there are 350 other people in the car with you, and you're all stuck in that storm in the middle of an Alaskan canal for nearly two days. People come to rescue you but can't get any closer. And with every passing hour, your car groans and threatens to sink. That was what happened to the SS Princess Sophia in 1918. Videos: Disasters of the Century: The Princess Sophia Sinking The Sea Hunters: The Princess Sophia tragedy Articles and books: Stranded: Alaska's Worst Maritime Disaster Nearly Happened Twice, by Aaron Saunders Report on the wreck of the Princess Sophia Forgotten Voyage Remembering the Princess Sophia: The Titanic of the Pacific West Coast National Park Service: The Princess Sophia The Wreck of HMCS Galiano October 1918

Feb 1, 20231h 32m

Episode 208: The 1956 Grand Canyon mid-air collision

Ah, flying in the 1950s. Fancy clothes, good food, smoking in the airplane, and the chance to see sights you'd never get to see otherwise. Two planes flying over the Grand Canyon on a summer day in 1956 should have passed by perfectly fine, and probably would have on any other day. But tragedy would strike over one of the most beautiful places on Earth, changing the aviation industry in one horrifying moment. Videos: Fatal Collision Over the Grand Canyon | America's Worst Disaster | United 718 and TWA 2 Air Collision Over The Grand Canyon | Mayday | On The Move Historic Archaeology: The 1956 Grand Canyon Aviation Accident by Ben Carver (playlist) Articles and books: Historic Plane Wreck Site Protected The Site of a 1950s Plane Crash Just Became a National Landmark But the Park Service won't tell you how to get there. CAB accident report

Jan 17, 20231h 46m

Episode 207: The Humboldt Broncos bus crash

On April 6th, 2018, the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team from Saskatchewan, Canada, were on their way to a playoff game in Nipawin. They weren't expecting the semi-tractor trailer headed westbound on Highway 335 - right into their path. Videos: Humboldt: The New Season How the Humboldt bus crash happened Special coverage of the tragedy in Humboldt, Saskatchewan W5: Jaskirat Sidhu, the 'Humboldt Driver,' speaks about the tragedy Articles and books: Agreed Statement of Facts - Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash Humboldt bus crash cause unknown as new details on truck and bus driving companies emerge Kingston man speaks to Humboldt crash intersection, where he lost his family 20 years ago Humboldt Broncos crash: What the RCMP forensics team found Humboldt presented E.J. McGuire Award of Excellence Coroner apologizes after mistaking Humboldt Broncos victim; Xavier LaBelle is alive Sports Illustrated: The Valley of Darkness 'One of the darkest days in the history of Saskatchewan' as 15 die in bus crash Humboldt Broncos crash site is no stranger to tragedy

Dec 21, 20221h 32m

Episode 206: The Bazar de la Charité fire

The start of the summer season in Paris in the 1890s could arguably be the Bazar de la Charité, sort of a rummage sale for the wealthy to benefit the poor. The height of Parisian's female society passed through its doors each year, and May 4th, 1897, was no different. But the presence of the bazaar's biggest novelty - a cinematograph showing films by the Lumière brothers - also led to a gruesome tragedy. Videos: Visit to the site of the charity fire on Rue Jean Goujon Documentaire sur l'histoire de l'incendie du bazar de la charité Article and books: A D V E N T U R E S in C Y B E R S O U N D: Charles Pathe The Tragic 1897 Charity Bazaar Fire of Paris Remembering a Belle Époque inferno in Paris COWARDICE OF PARIS MEN Exhibited in Brutal Form During the Burning of the Charity Bazaar The Bazar de la Charité Disaster: part one, part two, part three, and part four. The Bazar de la Charite website A History of Women Who Burned to Death in Flammable Dresses Heroes and Legends of Fin-de-Siécle France, by Venita Datta

Dec 1, 20221h 52m

Episode 205: The Boston Marathon bombing - Part Two

On April 15th, 2013, runners in Boston were approaching the finish line of the city's esteemed marathon at ten minutes to three in the afternoon when a large explosion tore through the crowd. Thirteen seconds later, a second one went off down the street. The manhunt for the men who committed the attack would last several days and take over the entire metropolitan area. Videos: The Days That Shaped America: Boston Bombing Nova - Manhunt Boston Bombers Boston Marathon Documentary - Amazing History & Injustices Discovery+: What Really Happened, the Boston Marathon bombing, parts one and two Articles and books: Criminal complaint against the surviving Boston bomber MIT News: "He loved us, and we loved him." Boston Bomb Victim in Photo Helped Identify Suspects Cambridge Man Indicted for Making False Statements in the Boston Marathon Bombing Terrorism Investigation Here's what various parts of the Boston Marathon bombing memorial represent Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy, by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge Officer Dennis Simmonds: 5 things to know about the Boston bombing's 5th victim Boston suspects [Update]: 'Very normal,' yet struggling to fit in Robel Phillipos sentenced to three years in prison Family says goodbye to youngest blast victim Timeline of Boston Marathon Bombing Events

Nov 23, 20222h 1m

Episode 204: The Boston Marathon bombing - Part One

On April 15th, 2013, runners in Boston were approaching the finish line of the city's esteemed marathon at ten minutes to three in the afternoon when a large explosion tore through the crowd. Thirteen seconds later, a second one went off down the street. The manhunt for the men who committed the attack would last several days and take over the entire metropolitan area. Videos: The Days That Shaped America: Boston Bombing Nova - Manhunt Boston Bombers Boston Marathon Documentary - Amazing History & Injustices Discovery+: What Really Happened, the Boston Marathon bombing, parts one and two Articles and books: Criminal complaint against the surviving Boston bomber MIT News: "He loved us, and we loved him." Boston Bomb Victim in Photo Helped Identify Suspects Cambridge Man Indicted for Making False Statements in the Boston Marathon Bombing Terrorism Investigation Here's what various parts of the Boston Marathon bombing memorial represent Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy, by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge Officer Dennis Simmonds: 5 things to know about the Boston bombing's 5th victim Boston suspects [Update]: 'Very normal,' yet struggling to fit in Robel Phillipos sentenced to three years in prison Family says goodbye to youngest blast victim Timeline of Boston Marathon Bombing Events

Nov 16, 20221h 0m

Episode 203: The Nepalese royal massacre

The family dinner party was in full swing, despite the host needing to be carried out in a drunken stupor only twenty minutes earlier. But this is no ordinary family. This is the royal palace of Nepal, and the host - Crown Prince Dipendra - is about to return, angry and armed. Videos: Zero Hour : The Nepalese Royal Massacre Why Nepal's Prince Organised A Royal Massacre | Asia's Monarchies | Real Royalty Articles and books: Love and Death in Kathmandu: A Strange Tale of Royal Murder, by Amy Willisee and Mark Whittaker Death, Love and Conspiracy: The Nepalese Royal Massacre of 2001 A Witness To Massacre In Nepal Tells Gory Details Prince blamed for Nepal massacre

Sep 9, 20222h 19m

Episode 202: The San Juanico disaster

The Mexico City suburb of San Juan Ixhuatepec was the home of poor immigrants, working-class families, dozens of large businesses, and a Pemex oil and gas company site - at least, until November 19th, 1984. Videos: Ciudadano Infraganti Explosiones de San Juanico 1984 Articles and books: San Juan Ixhuatepec remembers one of world's worst industrial disasters Three decades on, survivors of worst Pemex blast still want answers Mexican Blast Stirs Anger, Criticism Center for Chemical Process Safety: Thirty Years Ago - An LPG Tragedy State and community during the aftermath of Mexico City's November 19, 1984 Gas Explosion Mexico Furor Over Gas Blast Is Quickly Over Recordando la catástrofe de San Juanico They convert land where the San Juanico explosion occurred into a recreational park

Aug 24, 20221h 11m

Episode 201: The 1995 Chicago heat wave

For five days in July of 1995, the city of Chicago baked underneath record temperatures, and behind closed doors people suffered for days - the poor, the elderly, the disabled. By the time the heat wave was over, over 750 people were dead. Sources can be found at http://disasterareapodcast.wordpress.com/.

Aug 12, 20221h 59m

Episode 200: Trans American Flight 209

Surely this can't be the 200th episode! It is the 200th episode, and don't call me Shirley. Videos: "Airplane!" "Airplane II: The Sequel" Articles and books: Internet Movie Plane Database - Airplane! Bulls vs. Lakers Box Score: March 7th, 1980 Airplane! script Airplane II script

Jul 19, 20221h 2m

Episode 199: Apollo 1

There is always bound to be a first - the first person to climb Mount Everest, the first person to run a four-minute mile, the first woman to become president. But there are terrible firsts, and in this episode we discuss the first major tragedy of the American space race. Videos: Apollo 1 Audio - January 27th, 1967 Articles and books: The Astronaut Wives Club, by Lily Koppel Apollo 13, by Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger Deke, by Deke Slayton and Michael Cassutt Chasing the Moon, by Robert Stone and Alan Andres A Man on the Moon, by Andrew Chaikin Apollo 1: The Tragedy That Put Us On the Moon, by Ryan S. Walters Moonport: A History of Apollo Launch Facilities and Operations, by Charles D. Benson and William Faherty Chariots for Apollo: The NASA History of Manned Lunar Spacecraft to 1969, by Courtney Brooks, James Grimwood, and Loyd Swenson Apollo 1 report Apollo 1: The Fire Space Safety Magazine: The Apollo 1 Fire 'We have a fire in the cockpit!' The Apollo 1 disaster 50 years later American Institute of Physics: Trial by Fire: The Legacy of Apollo 1

Jun 22, 20221h 57m

Episode 198: The Christchurch mosque shootings

A man armed with semi-automatic weapons and a livestreaming camera walks into a place full of people he hates and commits a mass murder. It shouldn't be something we see more than once. But now we have.

May 26, 20221h 41m

Bonus: Disaster Area road trip Part 2: The New Yorkening

In which Jennifer describes her visits to disaster sites in New York City last week, including the 9/11 Memorial, the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, and the 1920 Wall Street bombing.

May 10, 20221h 38m

Episode 197: Operation Yellow Ribbon

We all hope that in a moment of great need, we would do the right thing. When the airspace over the United States closed on September 11th, the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, did just that.

May 1, 20221h 44m

Episode 196: The 1967 Oak Lawn tornado outbreak

In fifteen minutes one Friday in April of 1967, one tornado slashed through the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, leaving dozens dead in its wake. But it wasn't the only tornado to strike the area that afternoon.

Apr 21, 20221h 26m

Episode 195: The San Bernardino massacre

It was just supposed to be a typical office training session masked as a Christmas party - the speeches, the boring videos, the slideshows that probably could have been an email. But at 11 AM, everything changed when a person dressed all on black entered the conference room and began shooting. Then it got worse - they weren't alone.

Apr 13, 20221h 46m

Episode 194: The 1989 San Bernardino train wreck

First, the train ran off the rails. Then, fire rained from the sky. Hell, it seemed, had come to San Bernardino.

Apr 6, 20221h 24m

Episode 193: TWA Flight 3

When Hollywood legend Carole Lombard boarded TWA Flight 3 on January 16th, 1942, in Las Vegas, she hoped to be home in only a few short hours. She and the twenty-one other people on board only made it thirty-three miles closer to home.

Mar 2, 20222h 4m

Episode 192: The Erfurt latrine disaster

What do you get when you have sixty noblemen in a cess pit? One of the most disgusting disasters of all time.

Feb 18, 202256 min

A quick announcement!

I just wanted to share some news regarding the podcast for those of you who don't follow the social media accounts or Patreon. Nothing terrible, I promise.

Feb 15, 20225 min

Episode 191: The 2020 Calabasas helicopter crash

When we all first heard basketball legend Kobe Bryant had died, the world was in disbelief. But the how of it all made everything so much more tragic.

Feb 11, 20222h 4m

Episode 190: The GMAC massacre

Dragging yourself into work on a Monday can always feel grim. But on June 18th, 1990, the employees at the GMAC office in Jacksonville, Florida, had something far more terrifying than boring meetings to look forward to that day.

Feb 4, 202253 min

Episode 189: Hurricane Agnes

And now for Jennifer's hometown disaster - when one small hurricane turned southern New York and Pensylvania into one big muddy lake.

Jan 28, 20221h 54m

Episode 188: The New London school explosion

On March 18th, 1937, the students in the junior-senior high school of New London, TX, sat waiting in eager antipation of the end of the school day, looking forward to a three-day weekend. But the school, and many of the students and teachers inside the building, wouldn't make it to 3:30.

Jan 7, 20221h 58m

Episode 187: The Trolley Square shooting

The Trolley Squre Mall in Salt Lake City was a popular and historical landmark with a quaint and quirky design. On February 12th, 2007, a young man would arrive at the mall to do something no one, not even his family, saw coming.

Dec 31, 20211h 15m

Episode 186: The Ramstein air show disaster

The first maneuver the Frecce Tricolori display team would perform at the Ramstein air show on August 28th, 1988, was called the pierced-heart maneuver. But when three of the planes collided, what followed woud instead pierce through the heart of the crowd, killing dozens.

Dec 16, 20211h 52m

Episode 185: The 2017 Portland train attack

The man on the train would not be quiet, and what he was saying was horrifying. Three men would stand up to him. Only one of those men would survive.

Dec 4, 20211h 16m

Episode 184: The Taconic State Parkway tragedy

We will never know the entirety of what happened on the Taconic State Parkway on July 26th, 2009, but we know enough - that a drunk and high mom driving a van loaded with five children drove the wrong way and struck another vehicle, leaving eight people dead. It's in the details where the mystery grows.

Nov 27, 20211h 50m

Episode 183: The Oppau explosion

On September 21st, 1921, the day dawned just like any other workday at the BASF fertilizer plant in Oppau, Germany. But just a few minutes after 7:30 that morning, an explosion rocked the town and left hundreds dead underneath the remains of Oppau.

Nov 21, 20211h 2m

Episode 182: The Ghost Ship warehouse fire

On the night of December 2nd, 2016, an Oakland warehouse burned to the ground. There was just one small problem - it wasn't empty at the time.

Oct 31, 20211h 39m

Bonus: Disaster Area road trip!

Jennifer went on a five-day-long pilgrimage to as many disaster sites as she could manage and now she's going to talk about it for two whole hours.

Oct 9, 20212h 9m

Episode 181: The Sandy Hook school shooting

On December 14th, 2012, a young man carrying a Bushmaster rifle walked over the shattered glass from the front doors of Sandy Hook Elementary School and into the building. He was already a murderer. In another five minutes, he would be dead.

Oct 2, 20211h 9m

Episode 180: American Airlines Flight 587

September 11th was still fresh in everyone's minds when, two months later, an Airbus 300 crashed in a Queens neighborhood after takeoff from JFK International Airport. Was it terrorism, or something else?

Sep 29, 202147 min

Episode 179: The 1993 World Trade Center bombing

It has been twenty years this month since the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, but they weren't the first time the trade center found itself the target of a deadly terrorist attack.

Sep 26, 20211h 26m

Episode 178: The 1990 Plainfield tornado

We are so used to receiving all sorts of warning on our phones - Amber alerts, COVID exposures, weather watches. One weather app on our phone is all it takes to be warned of flood conditions or upcoming storms. But in 1990, people in northeastern Illinois received absolutely no warning that a powerful late-summer tornado was about to tear their lives apart.

Sep 9, 20211h 5m