Fort Stikine explosion of 1944
What caused the explosion of the Fort Stikine in 1944?
What was the impact of the Fort Stikine explosion of 1944?
What series of events led to the explosion?
Fort Stikine explosion of 1944, explosion of the cargo ship Fort Stikine in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, on April 14, 1944. The disaster, which killed approximately 750 people and injured another 1,800, was due to the combustion of cotton bales and explosives, including TNT, that the ship was carrying. The explosion also significantly damaged several other ships as well as the port. India observes National Fire Service Day (also called Fire Brigade Day) on the anniversary of the explosion each year, to honor the firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty.
Background
The Fort Stikine was a cargo ship weighing approximately 7,000 tons. Captained by A.J. Naismith, it was built in Canada and completed in July 1942. Prior to its explosion, it had participated in dozens of convoys as well as other independent voyages during World War II. When it arrived in Bombay, it held approximately 1,500 tons of ammunition and high explosives, including TNT, alongside about 2,000 tons of cotton; the latter, though flammable, was stored one level below the explosives. The manner of storage of the cotton and other flammable items—such as sulfur, fish manure, oil drums, and resin—did not align with common safety practices of the time. The ship was also transporting 155 ingots of gold bullion valued at up to £2 million, allocated to the Bank of India as part of an effort to stabilize the rupee.
On April 12, 1944, the ship arrived in Victoria Dock in Bombay. Unloading began the following evening but progressed slowly, and only the fish manure and oil drums ended up being unloaded. Additionally, it was decided that the ship would undergo repairs, which meant that the ship could not be moved except by tugboat.
Chronology of events
About 12:45 pm on April 14, smoke was spotted emerging from the ventilators of the ship’s No. 2 hold. The civilian watchmen for the ship were taking an unauthorized break during this time and were not at their posts. The stevedores of the ship (who were responsible for loading and unloading ships at the port) were also on a break. After the event a commission of inquiry appointed by the British colonial government conjectured that a discarded stevedore’s cigarette may have caused the fire.
Police observed the smoke about 1:30 pm but did not act, assuming that the ship’s crew was handling it. A stevedore noticed the smoke about 1:45 pm, and the crew reacted by hosing down the No. 2 hold. Fire crews on the shore were also notified, but, because of a miscommunication, they were not informed that the ship contained explosives, and only two engines were sent to assist. The crew and firefighters could not find the source of the fire because of the density of the smoke. An Indian Army major arrived about 2:30 pm and recommended sinking the Fort Stikine; however, the low tide and depth of water in the port prohibited this. Other officials requested the urgent removal of the sulfur and detonators, both of which were stored in the No. 1 hold. Those working in the No.1 hold then started hearing explosions from the No. 2 hold.
The dock’s general manager suggested that the ship be removed from the harbor. Historians note that there were competing priorities from officials regarding the fire: The captain and the dock manager wanted to prioritize the ship and docks respectively, while the lead firefighter wanted to focus on fighting the fire while leaving the ship where it stood. This caused a decision deadlock and delays in taking action.
About 3:00 pm two tugboats arrived to support with controlling the fire. The cotton bales began to ignite about 3:15 pm, and at 3:50 pm a flame shot out of the hold, forcing many firefighters to evacuate. Captain Naismith was last seen about this time; his body was never found. Shortly after 4:00 pm the ship was broken in half by a huge blast. A second explosion occurred about 4:30 pm. Some parts of the ship and cargo were later found over a mile from the site.
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Aftermath and legacy
Read about some of other disasters that involved explosions in ports or harbors:
- 1917 Halifax explosion: A munitions ship blew up in the harbor of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, killing nearly 2,000 people and flattening more than 1 square mile (2.5 square km) of the city of Halifax.
- Texas City explosion of 1947: An industrial disaster was sparked by the fire and explosion of the SS Grandcamp on April 16–17, 1947, in Texas City, Texas.
- 2020 Beirut explosion: A blast on August 4, 2020, in Beirut was caused by the improper storage of ammonium nitrate in a port warehouse.
Most people who were in the blast zone of the explosions were killed. People further afield were killed or injured by flying shrapnel as well as by shells that exploded on impact. The explosion also caused a fire that rapidly spread through warehouses close to the docks; many of these warehouses contained cotton. The spreading fire destroyed property and caused further explosions; the military had to be deployed to fight the blaze. Eventually, some buildings were demolished to control the fires. The primary fire took four days to put out, while secondary fires, though smaller in size, continued for another couple of weeks.
Approximately 750 people are believed to have been killed and another 1,800 injured by the explosion and its aftermath; some sources cite higher casualty numbers. Over 50,000 people reportedly became homeless because of the explosion and subsequent fire. Over a dozen other ships were lost as well, and multiple others were damaged. Salvage and cleanup operations lasted several months before the port could be fully functional again. Most of the gold bullion aboard the Fort Stikine was lost, but dredging operations in the harbor have continued to unearth some of these bricks, including as recently as 2011. An official commission of inquiry was set up, which ruled that the explosion was an accident.
The anniversary marks India’s National Fire Service Day, which honors the firefighters who lost their lives fighting the blaze that day.