Fort Stikine explosion of 1944

disaster, India [1944]

Written by

Frannie Comstock

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Britannica Editors

History

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...