Texas City, Texas – The residents and leaders of Texas City commemorated the anniversary of the 1947 Texas City Disaster with a ceremony at the Showboat Pavilion. This event honors the memory of the Texas City Disaster, which took place on April 16, 1947. Survivors of the tragic event attended, paying tribute to the 27 firefighters from Texas City who lost their lives while responding to the catastrophic explosion. The solemn ceremony included a bell ringing in remembrance of the fallen heroes.
The Texas City Disaster started with a fire on the SS Grandcamp docked in the port. The fire triggered an explosion when the heat and pressure reached the ammonium nitrate cargo at 9:12 a.m., causing windows to shatter in Houston and sending cargo flying 2,000 to 3,000 feet into the air. Hundreds of people, including employees, pedestrians, and bystanders, lost their lives in the tragedy. Only one member of the Texas City volunteer fire department survived the disaster.
The force of the explosion created a 15-foot tidal wave that struck the dock and surrounding areas, destroying buildings and scattering debris in the streets. The nearby Monsanto plant was completely wiped out. This incident is considered one of the deadliest industrial accidents in U.S. history.
At the ceremony, survivors shared their harrowing stories of the disaster, and historical resources from the Moore Memorial Library and the Texas City Museum were showcased. The event provided an opportunity for the community to come together and remember the lives lost in the Texas City Disaster. The resilience and strength of the survivors serve as a reminder of the importance of honoring the past and learning from tragic events to prevent similar disasters in the future.