10 Explosions Caught on Camera
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VOICE OVER: Peter DeGiglio
WRITTEN BY: Willow McLaughlin
It's tough to watch tragedy in real time. For this list, we'll be looking at unforeseen explosions that were accidentally recorded, whether by news cameras or bystanders. Our countdown includes explosions from the Boston Marathon, the R.M.Palmer Company, the Beirut port and more.
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 10 Explosions Caught on Camera. For this list, we’ll be looking at unforeseen explosions that were accidentally recorded, whether by news cameras or bystanders. Which of these events do you remember seeing unfold on screen? Let us know in the comments.
You’ve probably seen treats made by the R.M. Palmer Company on store shelves at Halloween and Easter. They’ve been in business since 1948, but in March 2023 one of their chocolate factories suffered a major catastrophe. Just before 5am, an explosion destroyed one building and pushed another back four feet. A weather camera from a local station caught footage of the blast. The leaking gas from the explosion fueled fires that caused even more destruction. The disaster resulted in 7 deaths and 10 injuries and the cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
On 19 April, 2023 two explosions shook the streets of Sudan’s capital city. This conflict between rival military factions began just four days earlier, and much of the fighting was centered around Khartoum. When a ceasefire between these two warring factions failed, the result was death and destruction. The international news station, “Voice of America '' caught a double explosion live on camera. Civilians fled amid heavy gunfire, as smoke poured through the streets. This is just a snapshot of the chaos that has engulfed the city and resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths.
Filipino journalist Jessica Soho flew to Afghanistan in 2002 to cover a patrol of U.S. soldiers just outside of Bagram Air Base. Before her planned assignment, she encountered the Danish Demining Group, who were removing landmines from the area. Deciding to cover the process, the media team put on protective gear and were close to finishing their story. They were offered a ride on an ambulance leaving the area with a dead deminer, but chose to film its exit instead. As they were filming the departing vehicle, it rolled over an anti-tank landmine and exploded directly in front of them. The shocked crew stood stunned at the destruction that had so narrowly missed them.
On a quiet September night in 1983, Murdoch, Illinois was shaken by two large explosions outside of town. A train carrying liquefied petroleum gas derailed and burst into flames. There wasn’t enough available water to put out the fires, so they were left to burn. Local citizens were evacuated from the area, but a news crew chose to stay behind and cover the incident. Unfortunately, instead of burning out, the heat caused the pressurized liquid inside the train tanks to boil and explode. The journalists caught the unexpected blast on camera. Although they were a half mile away, the crew could still feel the heat wave from the explosion.
Boston Marathon Bombing
In April of 2013, cheering crowds lined the streets as runners in the Boston Marathon neared the finish line. Suddenly, chaos erupted as two bombs detonated just seconds apart. We can’t show the explosions due to YouTube’s monetization policies. But we can describe what happened. The explosives were set by two brothers who were motivated by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, seeing them as an attack on Islam. Cameras captured this terrifying moment from multiple angles. Emergency and medical personnel that were present for the marathon immediately responded and provided aid to the victims. In total, three people were killed and 281 were injured from the blast.Brentwood House Explosion
When the police in Brentwood, New Hampshire received a call for a verbal domestic dispute on May 12, 2014, they had no indication of the violence about to take place. The dispute was between Michael Nolan and his elderly father, Walter. The first officer to arrive on the scene was killed inside the home. Not long after, media crews arrived to report on the shooting and Michael Nolan started a fire inside his father’s home. The flames triggered an explosion that tore a piece of the roof off and shook the entire area. Walter Nolan had been removed from the home before the blast, but Michael was killed in the fire.Chocolate Factory Chaos
You’ve probably seen treats made by the R.M. Palmer Company on store shelves at Halloween and Easter. They’ve been in business since 1948, but in March 2023 one of their chocolate factories suffered a major catastrophe. Just before 5am, an explosion destroyed one building and pushed another back four feet. A weather camera from a local station caught footage of the blast. The leaking gas from the explosion fueled fires that caused even more destruction. The disaster resulted in 7 deaths and 10 injuries and the cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
Ceasefire Failure in Khartoum
On 19 April, 2023 two explosions shook the streets of Sudan’s capital city. This conflict between rival military factions began just four days earlier, and much of the fighting was centered around Khartoum. When a ceasefire between these two warring factions failed, the result was death and destruction. The international news station, “Voice of America '' caught a double explosion live on camera. Civilians fled amid heavy gunfire, as smoke poured through the streets. This is just a snapshot of the chaos that has engulfed the city and resulted in hundreds of civilian deaths.
Exploding Ambulance in Afghanistan
Filipino journalist Jessica Soho flew to Afghanistan in 2002 to cover a patrol of U.S. soldiers just outside of Bagram Air Base. Before her planned assignment, she encountered the Danish Demining Group, who were removing landmines from the area. Deciding to cover the process, the media team put on protective gear and were close to finishing their story. They were offered a ride on an ambulance leaving the area with a dead deminer, but chose to film its exit instead. As they were filming the departing vehicle, it rolled over an anti-tank landmine and exploded directly in front of them. The shocked crew stood stunned at the destruction that had so narrowly missed them.
Train Car Combustion
On a quiet September night in 1983, Murdoch, Illinois was shaken by two large explosions outside of town. A train carrying liquefied petroleum gas derailed and burst into flames. There wasn’t enough available water to put out the fires, so they were left to burn. Local citizens were evacuated from the area, but a news crew chose to stay behind and cover the incident. Unfortunately, instead of burning out, the heat caused the pressurized liquid inside the train tanks to boil and explode. The journalists caught the unexpected blast on camera. Although they were a half mile away, the crew could still feel the heat wave from the explosion.
Chemical Nightmare
In the late evening of August 12, 2015, residents of Tianjin, China, witnessed double explosions that felt like the end of the world. A warehouse that stored hazardous chemicals caught fire and first responders were unaware of the potential danger within. They attempted to douse the flames with water and were unprepared for the violent chemical reactions that resulted. Two explosions, half a minute apart, tore through the area. Witnesses who were filming the fire caught the explosive blasts on film and were stunned and terrified at what was happening so close to them. 173 people were killed, many of them first responders, and 798 people suffered injuries.Beirut Explosion
In a warehouse in the Port of Beirut, Lebanon, 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate sat for six years, after being confiscated by the government. On 4 August 2020, it exploded, shaking the entire country. A fire in the warehouse led to an initial blast when fireworks stashed inside ignited. This led to a second explosion that was felt more than 150 miles away. The full impact of the incident was caught via footage from balconies, cars and boats. The giant blast is the sixth-largest accidental artificial non-nuclear explosion in human history. 218 people were killed, and over 7,000 injured. Following protests, Prime Minister Hassan Diab and his cabinet resigned.Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
After multiple delays, the Space Shuttle Challenger launched on January 28th, 1986. There was a special buzz around the launch, which would include school teacher Christa McAuliffe. CNN provided live coverage of the launch and many classrooms in the U.S. tuned in to watch the ground-breaking event. Instead of a victorious send-off, equipment failure resulted in an explosion and the deaths of the entire crew. It was the first fatal accident involving an American spaceship while it was in flight. For an entire generation of students, seeing this explosion take place on screen will be a moment in history they’ll never forget.9/11
On the morning of September 11th, 2001, al-Qaeda extremists flew two hijacked passenger planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Again, we can’t show these explosions due to YouTube’s policies, but images of the carnage are all too familiar. After the first impact on the North Tower, news cameras were directed at the disaster. CNN had live footage of the area just three minutes after the first plane hit. 17 minutes later, when the second plane hit the South Tower and exploded, viewers all over the world watched it happen live. The horrifying event was also caught on camera by shocked and horrified bystanders.