Causes Of The Halifax Explosion

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The Halifax Explosion occurred in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. During that time, Halifax was booming, it was military town and had the largest population in Atlantic Canada; 50,000 people. On both sides of Halifax’s harbour, business and industry were booming as factories, foundries, and mills were the demands of a wartime economy. The explosion took place on the morning of December 6, 1917. SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship fully loaded with wartime explosives, was involved in a collision with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows, a strait connecting the upper Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin. Approximately twenty minutes later, a fire on board the French ship ignited the ship’s explosive cargo, causing a disastrous explosion that devastated the surrounding areas of the Halifax harbour. Approximately 2,000 people were killed by debris, fires, and collapsed buildings, and it is estimated that nearly 9,000 others were injured. The devastating incident could have been prevented/minimized i if the Monte-Blanc had raised a flag, warning the people of their dangerous cargo, if the...

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