1903: 90 seconds of terror in the Frank rockslide (CBC 2003)

A CBC 2003 "The National" Report on Frank Slide, massive rock slide that destroyed in town of Frank, Alberta, Canada in 1903 after mining operations within triggered a failure of Turtle Mountain.
"The town of Frank, Alta., lay sleeping in the shadow of Turtle Mountain on April 29, 1903. But at 4:10 a.m., the side of the mountain fell onto the town. In just 90 seconds, a wall of destruction wiped out homes and entire families. The National looks back at the slide on its 100th anniversary. Experts say it's a matter of time before it happens again." - CBC

[@scubaman6]

That is not 90 tons, it is 90 million tons. Someone misspoke about the volume.

[@nestorpetriw3340]

Cameron mis-spoke at the opening of his report. "90 tons" is 90 pallets worth of rock. The amount of rock that covers the area is mind-boggling. It's hard to believe that people survived the event.

[@SheriPhaffArtPaintBrushed]

I've lived an hour east of Frank all of my life and have passed through numerous times. Just last weekend again.... still such an amazing and awesome sight to see. There are trees that have grow between the rocks some but it is still mostly all rocks and boulders. There is lots of traffic along that highway so thankfully no chance of this event ever being forgotten.

[@kaitlyncygan9766]

I’ve been to turtle Mountain many times and every time I go through it’s mind blowing. There is rocks for miles and that’s all you see.

[@mahsabirjandian315]

I came just today

[@itztess4910]

Ikr

[@okboomer6201]

@@mahsabirjandian315 In your pants or what?

[@FreeJulianAssange23]

Grew up in Blairmore. This kept me awake at night.

[@95bochamp]

I was there last week, and was surprised at the size of the slide in terms of scatter area and the size of the largest rocks. They're enormous.

[@endersquack]

Yeah, I can't imagine being at the bottom and being crushed to dead by those huge boulders.

[@meepmorp9179]

Imagine the people who didn't die yet and were trapped under the rock until they starved to death

[@pearlene1000]

I have just visited Frank's slide today after being in Canada for 2.5 years. When my friend suggested it I researched a little. When I actually got out of the car "Wow" my mind is blown at the sheer size and devastation. Made me realise how short and fragile nature and life is.

[@joanneshann4013]

I read a book titled "Megan" about 45 years ago. I was like a historical novel with this landslide as the climax of the book. It was very good. I didn't learn until college that this landslide really happened!

[@cruisinginmy94]

Explored the abandoned coal processing plant just before making our way on through Frank's slide on our friends motorcycle trip this past summer. What a cool place to travel through especially on my first Harley. Did the loop from Red Deer, to Calgary, Crossnest Pass onto BC, Banff and back. Coal mining at the base definately didn't help prevent the slide that's for sure.

[@sprfitter1]

The Indians of the area avoided Turtle Mountain. To them, it was the 'mountain that walked'

[@andrexadoh]

sprfitter1 looks like the mountain took revenge. Gutted to fuel “progress” and energy needs.

[@Buccko92]

Real dumb hahaha

[@saulteauxfirstnationsman5180]

My school was trying to go do a week camping trip there a couple years ago. My mom instantly said no, because me being from the prairies, that isn’t my treaty land. I’m from Manitoba and that I might pick up a bad spirit or have a bad accident happens. My mom told my school that i can’t go because of cultural Beliefs. I am strong and I am in tune with nature and wildlife. But that isn’t my land it felt off.

[@tehjamerz]

​@@andrexadohlol

[@geoffreylee5199]

Saw this when first broadcast.

[@markwentz8332]

I've camped in the area a couple times (Castle Falls, Beaver Mines Lake) from one of the interpretive signs in the area "A wedge of limestone a kilometre wide, 425 metres long and 150 metres deep"

[@YukonWilleh]

my mom caught a young man relieving himself on one of the boulders and yelled at him, he looked very confused, she just yelled "go read the plaque when your done" as she was leaving she heard him yell "oh my god!" probably wasn't planning on peeing on a mass grave that day...

[@justheretowatchvideos123]

Been there, it’s insane seeing the rubble and the story about it.

[@TheFeverDreamMPODCAST]

I went with my family yesterday it was so sad to see all that rock knowing there was a town and people under those rocks but it was one of the best experiences I ever had

[@sadrevolution]

I lived in the area growing up in the '80's and I heard that story about the baby girl that survived at the interpretive centre...

[@1Sackettgirl]

This story is almost buried totally of this miraculous baby, on top of the rocks. I would I could remember more.

[@landofthelivingskies3318]

Absolutely mind-boggling to see.

[@kytch111]

I have been there many times. Amazing place to see. All should go see it!

[@tarnsand440]

There is also a Turtle Mtn in Manitoba that encompasses a provincial park on the Canada/US border.

[@susannahah]

I went there with my family last year and it was mind blowing. It is so sad though. I am still very, very interested

[@larryjohnstone6260]

I saw the hope bc slide in 73 when I was a kid,I believe it happened in 65,the scene freaked me out! We will have to visit the Frank site one day.

[@ckom0007]

It’ll freak you out! It’s one hell of a disaster zone!

[@g.c.s.80]

Huge error in narration at 50 second mark, "...ninety tons of limestone, scattered at its foot....". It's ninety MILLION tons of limestone.

[@Jdat1212]

90 seconds of terror! Wow unreal. I’ve been there.

[@mercurion1000]

90 tons of limestone. Right. How about 90 million tons. Smh.

[@morganlast5498]

mercurion1000 2:55 that's what the news announcer says. Learn to listen.

[@austman7497]

lol thats what I thought."90 tons"lol

[@PoiDog777]

I heard the same thing; at 00:49 a narrator says, "... 90 tons of limestone, scattered at it's foot." At 02:50 a newscaster make a correction, though. 90 tons? No way.

[@GeorgeWiman]

I understand they corrected it but always wonder how someone narrating could make a mistake like that. No idea what a ton really is, or what rock weighs in volume?

[@MegaJess83]

Terrible that it happened, but after everything had settled, it’s quite a breath-taking view. Went here every summer growing up & would bike all over the place. CNP is also home of the smallest church.

[@babyvegeta76]

Man of all places of hear of this historic accident was on TikTok and I’m a university student, I’d like to go see this place one day

[@corgis713]

I was there in the summertime for a camping trip in the mountains, and I was amazed at how much rock there was. They are huge boulders and the disaster area is really spread out.

[@hera7884]

Holy cow! The whole mountain came down, or at least most of it!

[@justjoe942]

Damn Nature, you scary.

[@isaiahwolftail867]

Rocks still fall of that mountain today that why the First Nation people called it “the mountain that moves”

[@Angelumm]

I went there for school when we went on the set

[@lestorbeeny8454]

90 ton?? seems like a lowball

[@laytonlemay1223]

Crazy!

[@kaylavaters8130]

i was born in the crowsnest pass

[@paulmallery6719]

90 tons is 3 truckloads

[@g.c.s.80]

That's a narration error. It's actually 90 million tons.

[@lorumipsum1129]

Is the town and people still buried under it now?

[@TheCjcoon]

Yes.

[@TheCjcoon]

Out of 70 only 12 were found.

[@callmeshaggy5166]

I wonder if there's a grave marker for the 58 bodies still buried there

[@darrenthorsen593]

90 tons?

[@jy9291]

I noticed that too. Only one million times off.

[@stevelambright175]

A lot of vibration from people working drilling in the mine could have cause the slide

[@MathiasShaw637]

I learned about this from the Tom Connors song.

[@frickpoo6644]

science rules!!!

[@mayoelle6467]

Alberta was a province in 1905 though

[@bailey_31]

Grant Cooper it was northwest stil

[@Countryboy404]

i have lime stone

[@seanalexander9373]

90 tons? Definitely more than 90 tons came sliding down there.

[@NolzySZN]

Ya they forgot the word million behind it

[@caisecrowshaw8422]

Why aren't they digging it up?

[@ckom0007]

It’s a great big grave!

[@nelliefriesen4529]

Just go have a look you will understand why they aren’t digging where should they go with the rocks

[@kaylavaters8130]

theres to much rocks and stuff theve tried

[@EmptyPeace]

Have you seen the dump truck used to move the rocks? They did move a lot of it.

[@kaylavaters8130]

@@EmptyPeace that is true but there is alot of rocks and shit and theres no point anymore cause of the attraction and the town of frank is just destroyed

[@Nuttyirishman85]

Rock climbers dream.

[@mrpokemon1186]

anyone else is here because of online learning?

[@ckom0007]

Online is one thing...actually seeing what happened is another experience altogether!

[@Buccko92]

90 tons? That’s it? 😂

[@davisjames8484]

Lol they messed up

[@PilotW65]

Put a x10 to the 6th at the end of that and you got the real mass. Makes you feel powerless knowing that it took seconds

[@paulmallery6719]

Idiot spokesperson

[@themerrigans2734]

A bit more than 90 tons.

[@tocarules]

the joke around town it when the tourist come and say "Amazing how the slide missed the road". This is back when the CBC was not all fake news and disabling the comment section.

[@anhedonianepiphany5588]

I’m not sure it’s actually possible to pump out more bs and “fake news” than Fox, so everything’s relative. Aren’t Canadians supposed to be more cognitively capable and less mindlessly suggestible than their US neighbours?!? It must be hard to keep such mind-rot from crossing the border, particularly if it’s carried via radio/television transmissions.

[@tashoni3323]

anyone here from school, or just me?

[@rollsmerlin1659]

just you ... cheers

[@1Sackettgirl]

They conveniently neglect to tell the story of the baby girl on top of the rocks. Other than to say it isnt true. I don't believe it.

[@itsdamnfox2899]

Collapse the mountain ffs. Bore holes and dynamite it.