Interesting Disaster Stories - Page 2

FenerFan · 16th November 2012, 08:05 PM

AA Flight 191, which crashed in May of 1979, has always stuck with me. It is still the deadliest airplane accident to ever occur on US soil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...nes_Flight_191

Cheezey D · 17th November 2012, 05:22 AM

Thanx tt!

D

DallasDad · 17th November 2012, 05:25 AM

Originally Posted by FenerFan

AA Flight 191, which crashed in May of 1979, has always stuck with me. It is still the deadliest airplane accident to ever occur on US soil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...nes_Flight_191

I was driving past the airport when AA191 went down. I didn't see the plane in the air, but I saw the fireball and heard the explosion. A lot of people veered suddenly off the road, or braked hard.

gumboot · 17th November 2012, 06:54 PM

The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake was pretty crappy (worst disaster in NZ history). The earthquake totally destroyed the water mains in the entire city. Fires started in chemists quickly consumed the city. The fire department attempted to pump sea water in to fight the fires, but the pumps clogged up with gravel and silt, and failed.

In the end they resorted to using explosives to destroy buildings around the fire perimeter to stop it spreading.

It was pretty heroic stuff.

Foolmewunz · 21st November 2012, 11:48 PM

Like the General Slocum, the Titanic, the Boxing Day Tsunami and many others, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire led to regulatory reform and better communications or warning/alarm systems being put in place.

Not huge in terms of the number of deaths, but huge in terms of the horror and in terms of the impact.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexpe...riangle-intro/

If PBS re-runs it, catch the American Experience episode. (Or you can buy it if you're that interested.)

16th November 2012, 08:05 PM	#41
FenerFan Graduate Poster Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Istanbul...again Posts: 1,590	AA Flight 191, which crashed in May of 1979, has always stuck with me. It is still the deadliest airplane accident to ever occur on US soil. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...nes_Flight_191
	__________________ From there to here From here to there Funny things are everywhere - Dr. Seuss Everything that can happen, does. - Garrett Lisi Last edited by FenerFan; 16th November 2012 at 08:10 PM.

17th November 2012, 05:25 AM	#43
DallasDad Muse Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 688	Originally Posted by FenerFan AA Flight 191, which crashed in May of 1979, has always stuck with me. It is still the deadliest airplane accident to ever occur on US soil. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...nes_Flight_191 I was driving past the airport when AA191 went down. I didn't see the plane in the air, but I saw the fireball and heard the explosion. A lot of people veered suddenly off the road, or braked hard.
DallasDad Muse Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 688

17th November 2012, 06:54 PM	#44
gumboot lorcutus.tolere Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 23,124	The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake was pretty crappy (worst disaster in NZ history). The earthquake totally destroyed the water mains in the entire city. Fires started in chemists quickly consumed the city. The fire department attempted to pump sea water in to fight the fires, but the pumps clogged up with gravel and silt, and failed. In the end they resorted to using explosives to destroy buildings around the fire perimeter to stop it spreading. It was pretty heroic stuff.
	__________________ O xein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti têde keimetha tois keinon rhémasi peithomenoi. A fan of fantasy? Check out Project Dreamforge.

21st November 2012, 11:48 PM	#45
Foolmewunz Grammar Resistance Leader Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pattaya, Thailand Posts: 20,516	Like the General Slocum, the Titanic, the Boxing Day Tsunami and many others, the Triangle Shirtwaist fire led to regulatory reform and better communications or warning/alarm systems being put in place. Not huge in terms of the number of deaths, but huge in terms of the horror and in terms of the impact. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexpe...riangle-intro/ If PBS re-runs it, catch the American Experience episode. (Or you can buy it if you're that interested.)
	__________________ Ha! Foolmewunz has just been added to the list of people who aren't complete idiots. Hokulele Don't you wish someone had slapped baby Hitler really really hard? [i] Dr. Buzzo 02/13 [i]

17th November 2012, 05:22 AM	#42
Cheezey D Student Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 28	Thanx tt! D