Halifax Explosion

The Halifax Explosion was a devastating accident that occurred on December 6, 1917, when the Norwegian ship SS Mont-Blanc, carrying explosives, collided with the French cargo ship SS Imo in Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia. The collision caused a massive explosion, equivalent to about 2.9 kilotons of TNT, destroying much of Halifax and killing approximately 2,000 people. Thousands more were injured and thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed. The disaster remains one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history and led to significant improvements in safety and emergency response procedures.