logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2024
41m 5s

Selects: The Texas City Disaster of 1947

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

In 1947 the port town of Texas City, Texas became the site of the largest industrial disaster in American history. An enormous explosion blew ships out of the water, created a tidal wave that flooded the town, and killed hundreds of people instantly. Find out all about it in this classic episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Today
SYSK Tribute: Why does everyone love Dolly Parton?
Today we dive in to celebrate the international treasure that is Dolly Parton. Why is she nearly universally loved? Listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
55m 10s
Today
Short Stuff: Cyclospora
The US has an unusual number of outbreaks of food-borne illness going on in the summer of 2026, and the star of the show is cyclospora. How does this parasite make people sick, where does it come from? You may not want to know.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
13m 52s
Yesterday
The Fall of the USSR, Pt I
It’s rare that the downfall of an empire can be chalked up to the decisions of just one person. It’s even rarer, when the empire falls over the course of a year. That’s pretty much what happened with the Soviet Union when Mikhail Gorbachev dissolved it.See omnystudio.com/listener ... Show More
41m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2017
The New London School Explosion
<p>This was one of the worst disasters in Texas history, the worst school disaster in U.S. history, and it was a horrific tragedy that stemmed from a huge number of small decisions and moments.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetw ... Show More
30m 48s
Nov 2025
Deepwater Horizon | The Summer of Tears | 3
When the Deepwater Horizon explodes on April 20, 2010, 11 men are killed, while the rest of the crew tries to escape the burning rig. In the days that follow, vast quantities of oil leak into the Gulf of Mexico. As the spill spreads, coastal communities struggle to deal with the ... Show More
36m 19s
Jun 2017
The Eastland Disaster
<p>The Eastland disaster was one of the deadliest maritime disasters in American history. And in this particular case, safety regulations actually made things worse.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartp ... Show More
30m 5s
Jan 2019
Exxon Valdez: Oil Meets Water | 1
A supertanker carrying 53 million gallons of crude oil runs aground in Prince William Sound sparking the worst man-made ecological catastrophe in the country’s history at the time. As Exxon struggles to get the cleanup underway, fishermen worry that this is the end of life as the ... Show More
37m 18s
Jul 2025
Texas hit by deadly floods
Flash floods hit central Texas in the USA. Georgie and Phil discuss the story. Find full subtitles and a worksheet for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2025/250709FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our websi ... Show More
7m 27s
Aug 2025
Disaster Favours the Daring: Shipwreck at Honda Point
In 1923, legendary navigator Captain Dolly Hunter led a squadron of warships into America’s worst peacetime naval catastrophe. The mission was supposed to be a speed trial, a display of the squadron’s skill. But it ended in a maritime pile-up, with some destroyers stranded on roc ... Show More
39m 57s
Nov 2021
Aftermath (2020)
In 1927, the most destructive river flood in U.S. history inundated seven states, displaced more than half a million people for months, and caused about $1 billion dollars in property damages. And like many national emergencies it exposed a stark question that the country still s ... Show More
54m 56s
Sep 2022
SYMHC Classics: General Slocum Disaster
This 2019 episode covers the burning of the P.S. General Slocum in the East River in New York on June 15, 1904. It had been chartered for a group outing that suddenly became a deadly maritime disaster.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
30m 36s
Feb 2025
The Port Chicago Disaster: Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
On July 17th, 1944 the worst home front disaster of WWII unfolded in an instant when a munitions base exploded with the force of 5,000 lbs of TNT just outside of San Fransisco. The catastrophic incident killed 320 people instantly and injured hundreds more. The event resulted in ... Show More
53m 32s