The Halifax Explosion (BRITISH REACTION)

The Halifax Explosion (BRITISH REACTION)
This is my reaction to The Halifax Explosion
#canada #history #reaction
Original Video - The Halifax Explosion | A Short Documentary | Fascinating Horror
Subtitles are available in French (and English)

[@xxMelaniexx]

I live in Halifax. This is an important part of our history in Noca Scotia. With museums and memorials. It's amazing It's now the largest of all the Atlantic province's cities.

[@michellelaviolette574]

Just a few years ago the city named our new Halifax/Dartmouth Ferry The Vincent Coleman. He and the explosion are not forgotten. Can hear the harbour horns blowing every Dec 6 9:05 AM if you’re in the city’s North End. 💕

[@timtabor6893]

As a Nova Scotian I thank you for taking such interest in our history The people of “New Scotland “ are a hearty bunch but this was a low spot in our history Really enjoying your reaction videos Thank you !

[@timlamiam]

As a Hong Kong immigrant to Canada, the heritage minute i fancy is the one about Canadian troops in HK. A Canadian unit was the only British manpower in HK during the Japanese invasion and those boys fought like hell, outnumbered 100 to 1.

[@candytoo3729]

Thanks Tim. I will look into that. Hope you and your family are well and happy.

[@sandrasaunders8777]

Thanks for doing this video. It has a personal meaning to me. My family was affected by the explosion and many lives lost. However, there is one positive story I can tell. My great-grandmother, living in in Tufts Cove in Dartmouth, was outside watching the ship burn, while holding her five week old baby(my grandmother). A man came running up the hill, screaming in French. My great-grandmother didn't understand French, so she just ignored him. The man (who turned out to be one of the crew of the Mont Blanc) grabbed the baby and ran. My great-grandmother, of course, ran after him thinking he was stealing her baby. Well, that act probably saved her and the baby because when the ship blew, the spot that she'd been standing at had considerable damage.

[@vincentprice4076]

Wow.

[@christinefougere]

My Dad lost an uncle and cousin in the explosion. My son, named for my Dad was born on December 6th. They lived on Gottingen St. It's an important part of our history. I live in Dartmouth and there are pieces of the ships still here, roped off with plaques.

[@ryanwilson_canada]

The halifax explosion is a perfect example of the phrase "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong" it was a combination of many mistakes by multiple people, that ultimately ended up in catastrophe. Hope everyone is taking care.

[@loritalbot3063]

My Grandmother was there that day but luckily left town a few minutes before the explosion. she ended up unofficially adopting the son of a friend who wasn't so lucky.

[@spencersholden]

The crew of the Mont-Blanc came across a native woman and her baby and told her to run. When she didn’t move, one of them grabbed her baby and run for the hills. Her and her baby were the only two people they were able to save. Both a cannon and an anchor from the Mont-Blanc were found far away from the explosion and have been made into memorials. Both were warped by the heat.

[@interchange42]

Don’t be ashamed of not knowing these things before. It’s fantastic that you’re interested and learning now. Others watching your videos will be learning about this for the first time too! When you finally get here, you may end up being a better educated tourist/traveller, than many of the locals you run into while here!!

[@pdog547]

I'd recommend looking into the story of Vimy Ridge, as well as Valour Road. Two stories from WW1 that are definitive moments for our country. I really appreciate the interest and respect you have for Canada, thank you!

[@westzed23]

Those are two excellent Heritage Minutes.

[@Fissi0nChips]

The explosion was so great the floor of the harbour was exposed. There are reminders all over the city of the explosion. It's really quite amazing. Guns and anchors that were thrown from the ships in the harbour still rest where they landed over a hundred years ago. I live in Halifax and I can say that most people here are aware of it but I don't know about the rest of the country. They should be but sadly I feel they are mostly not.

[@retired_in_portugal]

Great review. I have to apologize to my fellow Canadians in Nova Scotia, I'm embarrassed to say that although I had heard of the Halifax explosion in school I didn't know the details or the magnitude of this horrific event. As for Vince Coleman I'd like to think he is an example of the kind of person we (myself included) should all strive to be.

[@NS_first]

I didn't know to this level of detail

[@LordPorkChop84]

One thing that they didnt discuss in the video was exactly WHY the explosion was so bad. It wasnt the amount of explosive on board but rather the type of explosive and where the boat was when it exploded. the boat was floating in shallow water so when it detonated, half the shockwave went up and out into the air. But the other half went down into the water, which then bounced off the river bottom, and then came back up and out (a reflection wave), which ADDED to the first half of the shockwave, effectively doubling the power of the explosion. This quirk of physics coupled with the fact that most of the explosive on board was a petroleum based fuel meant the shockwave pushed the fuel cloud outward as it burned, allowing more oxygen to mix with the fuel, creating a larger explosion. Today.....all airburst munitions (artillery, mortars, rockets, missiles, nuclear weapons, etc), thermobaric bombs for destroying caves and bunkers, and the big daddy MOAB (Mass Ordinance Air Burst A.K.A The Mother of All Bombs) are all military developments that came directly from what was learned about the physics of the Halifax explosion. Which I always found to be the most interesting thing about the history of that day 🙃

[@westzed23]

Thank you for explaining this. I couldn't express this clearly.

[@SuperFriendBFG]

Oh yeah, the Canadian and US Military brass were **ALL OVER** this explosion to study every detail they could grab from it, I wouldn't expect anything less frankly.

[@vincentprice4076]

Fascinating

[@michelepottie3476]

I didn’t know that. Thanks! I’m in Dartmouth

[@gordonbezanson4710]

Mont Blanc cannon sat on the of the corner of the street in front of a building i lived in, in Dartmouth at 175 Albro Lake RD . Around where it landed.

[@markhammer643]

One of the animated short films nominated for an Oscar at this year's Academy Awards was the film "The Flying Sailor". It depicts the true story, and experience, of a sailor who was flung into the air by the explosion, blown 2km away, and lived to tell. As he flies through the air, the force and destruction of the explosion that levelled so much of the city is depicted beneath him. You can find it online by looking for "The Flying Sailor". A beautiful little film, deserving of accolades, and well worth watching. Halifax is also where so many of the recovered victims of the Titanic were buried. The Maritime Museum there (not all that far from where the two transport ships collided) has some relics of the Titanic. The children's shoes are sure to bring a tear.

[@timsinkovitz]

Where can you find the "Flying Sailor?" I want to watch this

[@markhammer643]

@@timsinkovitz Just search for it here on KZbin by title. It's just under 8 minutes.

[@davidedwards3838]

We learn about Vince Coleman in school obviously. When I was a child listening I always thought I would do the same. But as an adult with children of my own. Would I really be able to conduct myself in that manner. I would like to think so. But am I 100% sure? No I am not. Doing the right thing would be hard in that situation. That's what makes him a real hero. When it really mattered and he knew he would die he did the right thing. RIP Vince Coleman

[@echobeefpv8530]

Great reaction !! We have heros that you can get behind, they didn't win wars or kill lots of people, they saved lives, and gave themselves in the process. Terry Fox, Vince Coleman, the doctors who developed and gave away insulin, etc. My personal all time is Terry Fox, so young, so brave, so humble.

[@cheryla7480]

Many stories came out of that terrible disaster. Several years ago I saw a video on one of the commemorative services. They interviewed a lady , over one hundred years old. She had been a baby when the explosion occurred. She was thrown from her crib, and her crib landed on her. Her house caught fire. Relatives rescued her. She suffered spinal injuries, which delayed her ability to walk for over a year.

[@koru9780]

There are longer and much more in depth videos available that explain what and why the Mont Blanc had the cargo it was carrying and who the captains were and their characters. It was a tragedy that could have easily been avoided. It is a real joy to watch your videos and that of others who are learning about Canada and reminding us of these historical moments. Thank you.

[@tytn9978]

in hindsight, most human-made tragedies could be avoided; we do tend to see more clearly after the event, but never before the event.

[@shonastewart7943]

Canadians have a history of helping out in times of disaster. In 1987, there was an unprecedented tornado in Edmonton,Alberta, referred to as black Friday. The next day, volunteers were collecting donations in the parking lot of the football stadium. The GM of the team was unloading/loading donations despite the fact there was a game that night.

[@tor2162]

I learned about this first as a teenager reading Hugh McLennan's novel ,Barometer Rising. As a woman history is way more interesting when I learn it through human impact and testimony and drama, and search for the details later. This was me in the 1970's so I went to my Mom, not google, and she filled me in, but not with this detail of physical cause. She knew what a human disaster it was.

[@allantidgwell5624]

My family has been in Halifax for generations. My grandfather was 2 years old when the Halifax Explosion happened. His mother was looking out the window at the explosion and he screamed and pulled her attention right before the explosion happened, and if he hadn't she would have been blinded by the glass blowing out into her face

[@HRMlife]

My Nanny was born in 1905 and raised me. She had her ear sliced off by the door she was holding open at her Catholic school. Lived in the North End of Halifax. She always showed me the places that the wounded and dead were taken to. Big snow storm hit right after. All those WWI soldiers coming home too. Oh the stories! The anchor that was blown off one of the ships (can’t remember which) is in Fort Needham Park. I always honour that day in honour of her. Boston gets a huge and beautiful Christmas tree every year from the land of selected families in Nova Scotia. In thanks for their help during those dark days. There are so many fascinating stories about all of our provinces. Thank you for telling their stories. 😊

[@sylvieyfilion7400]

I love Heritage moments it helps everyone to learn about our history for those who do not know about it and for others it refresh our memories.

[@theirishlasskicker506]

I grew up in New Brunswick, about 2 hours from Halifax. This was one of the two historical moments from the east coast provinces that was emphasized on in many history class in my schooling. There’s no one from across Canada from my generation at least that has seen the heritage moment commercial. When my stepdaughter was in grade 8/9, this was mentioned so she asked me about it. I showed her the commercial as a general knowledge of the explosion and a few years later, going home to NB to visit family, I took her down to Halifax since she was still curious about it.

[@susanconnolly4931]

I'm so happy to found you. Thank you for your interest in my country and for sharing in film and words about Nova Scotia, and the Halifax Explosion. I was born and raised in Halifax and still live in our Lovely City, and Provience. With regards to the Halifax Explosion. My Sister-in-laws grandmother and infant Son where lost in the Halifax explosion... They were tragically and, sadly, taken out to Sea, with the tsunami. I look forward to you posting, learning more about the culture, of Halifax, Cape Breton Island, ...all of Nova Scotia. I am sure you will be delighted. Thank you again. Cheers from Halifax. ❤

[@gamexsimmonds3581]

People always mention Boston and what they did to help, which is great but they neglect to mention that ofcoruse the first aid to reach the city were from towns in New Brunswick and other Nova Scotian towns. And also that the trains coming from these towns had a hard time getting supplies in because the tracks had been obliterated at many points me the trains could only go so far. Also fire brigades that come to help out Halifax had immense trouble igniting the fires because their hoses were incompatible with the gage of Pipes that Halifax used. Also hello from Halifax/Dartmouth. We learned about this in school. Its innevery Canadian History textbook probably and when they teach of ww1 and canadas involvement it makes sense to bring it up. Im not sure to what extent the rest if canada learns about it, but they definitely do. I have been enjoying your videos and I've noticed that lots and lots of people for whatever reason in the last 6 months have started to react to more Canadian history and content. It's a nice change from everyone being obsessed with learning about the USA on KZbin and not caring a lick about what goes on above the Border. I have a video reccomendation that you would enjoy a lot. It's the Ice storm of 1998 in Montreal. It was a horrible and destructive, scary ice storm. It Turn Montreal into an Ice Sickle and cost the government like a billion dollars or something(maybe more) it was bad but very interesting

[@davyman2000]

Uh….I hope you mean extinguish the fires otherwise I need to re learn about this disaster lol

[@historyfreak6591]

I lived in Nova Scotia from the ages of 7-13 and I remember learning about this in school but I am ashamed to say that no mention was made of the snowstorm or how help couldn't get in or of Vince Coleman. The only time ever learning about Vince Coleman was through the Heritage minutes. He truly was an inspiring man and a true hero

[@Faye_L]

I learned about the Halifax explosion as a kid from that Heritage Minute. I'm in Ontario, far from Nova Scotia, but dangit, just hearing Vince Coleman's name makes me cry every time. What a hero!

[@Barnes466]

I live on the Dartmouth side of Halifax, right top side of the narrows. I drive past a piece of a cannon that was launched from the explosion up on Chapelle street (I think that's the name). It runs parallel to Albro lake road. It blows my mind every time I look at it. My GrandFather left from Halifax some years later to fight in France in WW2.

[@hotshot902]

i grew up in Dartmouth, but my Grandparents and mother lived about a block away from that memorial. As a child I played in that park (before the memorial was there). The park is located less than a block from the Hydrostone section of the city. Down the hill a few blocks is the waterfront where it all happened, and where Vincent lived (now named Vincent St) It's a big part of our taught history as school children. My grandfather, who was a sailor/captain was reportedly one of the ships that arrived in Halifax the next day. BTW, some of the methods and procedures used for disaster documentation were learned from our city's part in the Titanic recovery....5 short years earlier. There is now a boat, one of the harbour ferries that run daily between Halifax and Dartmouth, named after Vincent Coleman.

[@Karen_of_Kanada]

Heritage Minutes! I'm flashing back to childhood. :). Fun fact:I lived in Halifax, in a place that was "scooped out" of the rock by that explosion. Another fun fact: we do use "beep be beep beep STOP THE TRAIN" in conversation (for people of a Certain Age) to refer to something someone is going to do that's a bad idea.

[@terrancebrown87]

I voted for one of the ferries to be named after him. They should make a clock/statue for him. We got statues of Robbie Burns and Walter Scott but none for V.C.!

[@vincentprice4076]

He should be on our money. The courage.

[@Nikki7B]

This is the first video that I have learned more details about it. We always knew of it and learned about it in school, but I never actually heard of what ships were all coming and leaving. Interesting

[@errollleggo447]

I don't know if this is touched on in this video, I am half way through. Halifax always sends a huge Christmas tree to Boston every year for their help. Edit: Ok, it is touched on, nice! Oh Nova Scotia means New Scotland in Latin.

[@debrubach9399]

Two other videos you might want to react to are Operation Yellow Ribbon and Gander's Ripple Effect. The 1st is a report about Newfoundland's part in the aftermath of 911. Gander's Ripple Effect is about that too but it's more about the creation of "Come From Away" the Canadian Broadway Musical. Yes it contains info about 911 but it actually is more about a small town helping 7000 stranded airplane passengers. It's an incredible to story of the generous nature of Canadian Newfoundlanders.

[@furryhoof647]

I love the documentary You Are Here: A Come From Away Story. Even when the dark side of our nature is terrorizing us, the beautiful, loving side of humanity can shine through. If aliens wanted to eliminate us because of the tremendous evil we are capable of, and inflict on each other, i would show them that film.

[@rayhallett]

My grandfather remembered that after the Explosion, he found his best friend's bicycle in a tree, but never saw his friend again. My family still lives in Halifax in the north end, in a house rebuilt after the Explosion. My grandfathers family lost everything and many neighbours too. My father remembered growing up with so many blinded moms and dads among his friends parents. He also recalled the panic in the North End in WW2 when a convoy ship caught fire in Bedford Basin. My family ran, and my grandfather shouted for everyone to get away from the windows, remembering the blast effects from years before. By the way, in the '70's, my father and I were Boston Bruin fans, and my Dad explained that my family had all become fans of anything from Boston after the help offered. My grandfather was always glad to get a coat from the train from Boston, because the snow had fallen and picking through the wreckage was cold work.

[@bunzeebear2973]

Insurance companies probably said "you have FIRE INSURANCE" but not "exploding boat damage insurance" so you are not covered, Read the "fine print" Insurance always cover their tail,

[@davidedwards3838]

There is a short documentary on a channel called Brick and mortar. They go way more in-depth on the lead up to and the characters on the ships. The captain on the emo was a real piece of shite.

[@garnetj69]

A great video you may want to watch is about how, during the 9-11 attacks on the US, all the planes diverted to Canada were looked after by Canadians, housed fed and nurtured. It's a very heartwarming story during a horrendous event. It was back east in the town of Gander.

[@patriciagrosvold2183]

My great Aunt was orphan during the explosion, her mother died in the explosion and her father was at war. My great grandmother was on the train when it stopped in Truro. She was pregnant with my great grand uncle. Many years later they met and got married.

[@user-pq2ue3is9z]

I donate to CNIB monthly because of this. Seeing eye dogs. As child I saw the Vince Coleman Heritage minute .

[@stevehowell2704]

As a Halifax native and naval sailor, the Halifax explosion is still a huge lesson on signaling, clear comms, and maneuvering. To this day the area in the harbour known as the narrows is only for on ship at a time. Disney even made a USN (United States Navy) film about it in the 40s. It wasn’t just one of the largest non nuclear explosions. It remains the largest non nuclear man made explosion.

[@april_boyle]

I can’t wait for more heritage moments, please do more. There are so many I haven’t seen in years. Makes me very proud to see them again. 🇨🇦 ❤

[@marcelmoreau2733]

as a canadian, i never heard of vince coleman or halifax explosion until they made the heritage minutes. he and it were not mentioned in any history classes we had from qst to 10th grade, when we could stop taking history. dont know is all school systems ignored this but we barely learned anything about canadian involvment in either world war.

[@lifewuzonceezr]

FH is one of the best KZbinrs!! Go down that rabbit hole and suddenly see danger everywhere!! LOL welcome! XooX

[@a.k.maclellan54]

Originally from Nova Scotia now living in Vancouver British Columbia. Worked in Halifax when I was young and met a gentleman who was an ace mechanic but was blinded is a child watching from the living room. The last thing he ever saw was the explosion. But what amazes me more is your presentation of the situation. You a young person from another continent caring so much about the situation of the people a hundred years before. You are amazing as well and I appreciate you. Have a wonderful day and take good care. We need more like you.

[@gregmchale5011]

thank you for bringing this story to life again, we should never forget the Halifax Explosion, remember the past and look to the future.

[@mikebrown3356]

Thank you for your very respectful video, I live in Dartmouth and at the start of my street is the actual cannon that was blown off the ship and the spot it landed. It is now part of a monument and each year people gather to honour the dead. I truly appreciate your interest in Canadian history.

[@ssokolow]

I mentioned it on the relevant Heritage Minutes video before I saw this but, in case you or anyone else wants even more detail, Maritime Horror (sort of a maritime-oriented counterpart to Fascinating Horror, which generally focuses more on disasters on land, has a 35-minute video on this named "The Halifax Disaster".) If anyone wants more in this vein, Plainly Difficult and Brick Immortar are also good channels in the same vein as Fascinating Horror and Maritime Horror. (If I remember correctly, Brick Immortar is run by an actual engineer, and Maritime Horror is by an actual mariner.)

[@tenapalmer7182]

Canadian Author, Hugh MacLennan wrote 'Barometer Rising" if you're looking for insight into the 1917 explosion, this is a good source. My grandfather, then 17, was a deck hand on a tugboat in the harbour. According to his telling, the tug captain was a real mean, unfair boss, and uncharacteristically, my granddad decided to quit his job and sleep-in that morning. When the explosion hit, he was sitting on the edge of the bed, putting on his socks. The North End house split in two at that moment, and a framed portrait crashed over his shoulders... his only injury being the glass embedded in his shoulders, which took decades to emerge.

[@suzannemclennan9736]

One of my grandfathers was in the Navy on the Nanaimo in Halifax at the time of the explosion. One grandmother was living with her family in Dartmouth they tore up the floors to cover their shattered windows, my second grandmother had arrived in Halifax from UK (she married my second grandfather in England and he was part of the Canadian Army in Europe, she was joining his family in PEI with their oldest son) so 3/4 of my heritage were there during the explosion and it's aftermath and all survived - my navy grandfather's shipmates rowed towards the Mont Blanc to assist (he was offduty and in his bunk onboard) when the collision first occurred - they were lost in the explosion.

[@rowauthority]

Thank you for this. It is .... amazing to watch you, watch (and learn about) us. As I Canadian, I am learning through your eyes (as-it-were). Again, Thank you. On a side note; My Grandfather was raised 50 km inland from Halifax and told us tales about how the shock wave(s?) from the explosion rattled windows and even knocked a few things off shelves in their home.

[@susieq9801]

This was not widely publicized at the time to avoid a further collapse of morale during the war and shortly on the heels of the Titanic (bodies were brought to Halifax for burial), Lusitania and Empress of Ireland disasters. The Mont Blanc also wasn't flying a munitions flag as that would have made it a target for attack.

[@jeffrieger6235]

You make some great videos.. Keep going! Informative, enlightening, and your reactions and commentary are very relatable. As a Saskatchewanian, I'd love to see some Prairie commentary. As a suggestion, you should probably check out Canada's only armed insurrection, the Riel Rebellion. Louis Riel and Gabriel Dumont are heroes to many, yet they're historically perceived the villains. There's lots of videos out there..

[@colletteseders2874]

My grandmother was only 6.5 years old at the time. She was in school in Canso, about 120 miles away, and all the windows in her school broke. Something I did not hear mentioned is that the harbour also had a deep furlough created, which deepened the passage by about 132 feet, making it the deepest harbour along the east coast of North America. You might find a couple of books interesting. One is a historical novel called ‘Barometers Rising’, written by Hugh MacLennan. The second is called ‘Shattered City’ written by historian Janet F. Kitz. There is also a movie version of that book.

[@handlesRdumb]

Vince Coleman is a relative on me mom's side and my father's family home had the roof blown off (his parents both lived on the same street and were maybe toddlers at the time. I've lived here all my life and I'm still learning new things about the explosion every year.

[@legionx4046]

Fucking huge respect to vincent 🫡

[@richardzagozeski892]

When I was in Elementary School, we had Canadian Readers (School History Books) that had the story of the Halifax Explosion in it. This was back in the 1960's, around 1963 or so.

[@Nailkita]

Just recently found you in recommended I’m really enjoying how heartfelt you are to honouring those passed.

[@Duessa2000]

My great grandfather was a sheet metal worker and was in the hull of a ship during the explosion. He was was knocked unconscious and came to on the other side of the ship. My grandfather was in 9th grade and was at school. He was on the second floor at the time of the explosion and has no memory of how he got to the ground. He lost his jacket and ran home; that was the last day he ever went to school. The family home was in the “Dutch Village” area and protected by a hill between them and the narrows. My grandmother was approximately 100km away where she lived outside Truro, windows in her home broke and they felt the ground shaking. My family was fortunate to have not lost anyone on that day

[@emordnilap4747]

Not knowing about this tragedy, or any other, isn't anything to be ashamed of. There's only so much anyone can know, and a lot of important issues in this world. On another note, I absolutely love Fascinating Horror. He is as thorough as possible, in such short videos, respectful, and professional. He advertises as not sensationalizing tragities, and follows through on that promise. These stories are sensational enough without. His style is totally unbiased, I've never heard him give an opinion on a tragedy itself, he sticks to facts, and includes opinions of those involved. He always gives credit to those who deserve it, and will give opinions on them, like they 'deserve recognition,' or their actions are 'commendable.' Opinions are good for some kinds of videos, but too many can really take away from others. This video is a perfect example of both kinds, done well. He is also mindful of the potential consequences of telling these stories to so many. There's one video, about a fire in a hotel, where those in charge were beyond negligent. He mentioned at the end that the new hotel, built in it's place, was owned by different people, and was known for going farther than legally required when it came to fire safety.

[@AaronFevens]

There's still pieces of the Monte Blanc scattered around the city and embedded in buildings, preserved as memorials and heritage sites. Another famous disaster Halifax has ties to is the sinking of the Titanic. Many of the survivors, and the dead, ended up here. There's a Titanic graveyard in the city.

[@luckyskittles8976]

You asked for more Heritage minute suggestions one would why the name of Pine Street in Winnipeg was changed to Valour Road. They are all good to see.

[@sgtcrab2569]

My Dad was a young boy in Antigonish about 220 Km away and remembered hearing a loud noise at the rime.

[@ronfischer191]

I remember when I was in the Canadian Navy that the barber I went to had a picture on the wall of that barber shop surrounded by destroyed buildings and I asked what happened. That's when I heard the story of the Halifax explosion for the first time. Great channel love it.

[@jonasmichaelmoir9378]

Rich culture and heritage Thank you for reviving these gems❤

[@tytn9978]

this video underscores the reality that in many "major" accidents, there is often a series of unintentional but interlinked events that serve to intensify the final combustion! I think of the Titanic and all the mis-steps ... from no deck chairs, to no rehearsal for using lifeboats; no training on wearing life jackets; angling the ship in the wrong direction so that it scraped the iceberg sideways thus opening more spaces for water to rush in ... etc. etc. etc.

[@dorothyfielding8209]

It is called the Swiss Cheese model. When a series of holes (small events that might not be a problem most of time) line up and creates a huge disaster. Sort of the reverse of “For want of a nail the war/battle was lost.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swiss_cheese_model Maui’s current disaster in Lahaina looks to be shaping up to be a Swiss Cheese disaster.

[@jessemansfield9992]

Hey just want to say i really like your videos! As a Canadian i have actually learned a lot watching you learn our history lol!

[@riles186]

My great grandmother was a young girl in 1917. Her entire family went down to the harbour to watch the burning ship. When the explosion happened, the force threw her into the harbour. She luckily was rescued, but the rest of her family perished.

[@drippythoughtsicle1537]

I was born in Halifax and have lived in the area off and on most of my life. Nova Scotians have been through a lot. We've been blown up, blown over and buried and we still keep kindness in our hearts and smiles on our faces. The Halifax Explosion is an important part of our history here. Although we completely recovered from it, you can still see evidence of the explosion in Halifax and Dartmouth if you know where to look. All the kids here learn about the Halifax Explosion in school and the tree donation to Boston is actually a big thing here. A committee selects one of our nicest trees and it is considered an honour to have a tree on your property chosen to donate to Boston. If the same thing were to happen now, the death toll would be unimaginable. The population is bigger than mentioned in the video. They might have excluded Dartmouth which now falls under the Halifax Regional Municipality. There was a Native community in Dartmouth wiped out of existence in Tufts Cove near the narrows where the explosion occurred. Now that whole area is filled with apartment buildings with balcony views of the Harbour on both sides of the Harbour. There is also a large power plant there now that uses oil and natural gas which likely would compound the problem. Not only would it blowing up cause damage, many Nova Scotians rely on the power that plant generates. That Harbour is one of the most important harbours on the East Coast being both a major shipping and naval port. The impact now would be felt in the US too as some of their imports travel through that Harbour. We did have a scare when I was living in the narrows when a shipping container fell dropping 4 containers of uranium but fortunately the containers never leaked. It was scary while the area was in lockdown waiting for experts to examine the containers for leaks. The Halifax Explosion leaped to all our minds. I know I stayed away from my windows until the issue was resolved.

[@vincentprice4076]

Nova Scotia has much tragic history, from the ethnic cleansing of the Acadians to the Scalping Proclamation to being forced into Confederation. It took a generation for the richest colony to become a have-not province. 7 wars, 11 battles, The SS Atlantic, the Titanic, Swiss Air. The mining disasters. 5000 boats lost to the sea. Everywhere Memorials. The massacre.

[@philipnehiley6579]

We have a cross Harbour ferry called the "Vincent Coleman" and building name after him.

[@hiccuphufflepuff176]

If I have the family history right, my great grandmother was one of the 300 people on the train heading into Halifax that Coleman stopped. My grandmother was born 7 years later. She wouldn't have been if it weren't for him.

[@Wolfwow5]

I did an east coast road trip last summer. Halifax was probably my favourite stop on the trip. The Harbour Hopper tour was amazing. Part of the Mont Blanc’s anchor landed in Halifax. It was left where it landed and is a memorial to the those that died. The ship’s gun mentioned landed in Dartmouth, it is also a memorial where is landed. There is a story of a Mont Blanc sailor, who didn’t speak English, as it was a Norwegian ship with a Norwegian crew which hampered their ability to tell people to run. This sailor, while running, wanted to get people to run away with him. So as he ran past a family, he snatched a baby out of its mother’s arms and kept running. Obviously they did exactly what he wanted them to do and chased him away from the burning ship. The family and others who gave chase to a sailor that had snatched a baby, they survived.

[@RoseTrites]

You would be fascinated to know, that because of the relief supplies, medical aid and money raised by the City of Boston and its citizens, and its impact on the city of Halifax after the explosion, since 1971 a large tree is selected from Nova Scotia and sent to the City of Boston and stands in a grand square every Christmas. The cutting and preparation of this gift is filmed and makes the news every year.

[@owenscott5063]

I remember this story on the "Part of our Heritage" commercials as a kid and then again in history class in school. Thanks for doing these videos so we can remember all these important parts of our history!

[@hermesreborn]

I'm new to you're channel and like what I see so far. Everything you have done so far seems to be a collection of facts and trivia but if you really want to know what Canada is like as a people and as a culture you need to see a documentary on KZbin called "long time running" about a rock band known as the tragically hip. You really need to see this documentary to understand what it is to be Canadian.... Please, please look it up.

[@kylecormier6082]

December 12th 1952, in chalk river, Ontario, the first ever nuclear reactor incident, a tragic as it is a heroing story of two countries (Canada and the United States) working together to prevent a massive disaster

[@ssokolow]

A separated addendum to my other comment. If you haven't already watched it, I'd highly recommend Brick Immortar's videos "Ego in Engineering: The Quebec Bridge Collapse", and the 2.5 minute "Born From Collapse?: Canada's Iron Ring & The Quebec Bridge Disaster" sequel. It's not just about a piece of Canadian history, but also about the origin of a tradition in how we train and certify structural engineers.

[@xen0bia]

Unfortunely, not every disaster has lead to positive changes, and the best example of this is the Lac Mégantic train disaster. It was promised that safety standards would increased and that railroads passing through towns would be deviated on the periphery never happened and this essentially due to railroads belonging to private companies that don't give a flying crap about investments in safety. This is why the incident took place in the first place - shody repairs to a locomotive because they didn't want it to just sit there and not make profit for them.

[@daphneporter856]

I would say 90% of Canadians don't know about the Aberfan disaster, so you have no reason to feel guilty for not knowing this story. I was born in 88 and get the impression you're not far off. I don't think you've hit Leo Major yet, but know I didn't learn about him in school. I learned about him on KZbin, and the only reason it came out was because Dutch reporters came to Canada when he died. We all have lots to learn about this insane world we live in.

[@westzed23]

The Aberfan Disaster was horrendous. I remember hearing about it and was saddened about all the children in the school. Here in Alberta, Canada we had the Frank Slide. In 1903 the Mountain above the mining town gave way and slid through the town. A train engineer heard the sound and pulled the train fast enough to miss the slide behind him. It was a small town but I believe half the down was lost and there were many injuries. Help arrived quickly from nearby towns to rescue those still trapped. There is a Memorial to the Frank Slide at the site.

[@BethB-eb4uc]

If you're ever in Halifax, I recommend a visit to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. There's an exhibit about the Halifax Explosion (and another excellent one about the Titanic). One of the most touching displays is the contents of a young boy's pockets. He was a victim of the explosion and seeing the pencil stubs and other bits and pieces he was carrying put a human face on the tragedy for me. That and the fact that the north clock face at city hall is permanently stopped at 9:04:35 - the moment the Mont Blanc exploded.

[@ChristopherCampbell]

A church located opposite City Hall, in the Grand Parade, in downtown Halifax still has a unique "scar" from the explosion. St Paul’s Anglican Church was heavily damaged from the explosion. It was noticed that one of the many stain glass windows in the building bore damage, which shattered to form a silhouette of an uncanny resemblance of a man's head and shoulders. The congregation concluded that the silhouette is the likeness of Abbe Moreau. The "Explosion Window", was preserved to maintain the damage honoring the man, and still can be seen today.

[@gordmacdonald9711]

My great aunt was teaching school in Truro, 45mins away by highway. The whole school was evacuated as they thought Germans had attacked.

[@gordieparenteau6555]

A solid iron bollard from the pier is permanently imbedded in the side of a hill about 2 miles away.

[@brianphaneuf6875]

Find the Heritage Minute about the Frank Slide...devastated a whole town when the mountain shrugged.

[@djmac6088]

My family is from Nova Scotia and my brother and his wife live in Halifax as well as many other family members. I recently returned to Halifax for my Aunts funeral and stayed with my brother. He and his wife live beside the large cemetery in Halifax and we took a good couple of hours visiting it. Many of the people in there are from the explosion including the hero Coleman. Also here are those that lost their lives on the Titanic. Another way to see history. Such a very very sad time in history. We need to know and remember for those that lost their lives and so much more. We have many many great people in this country. There are so many places to visit in Halifax, that has so much information and history. We visited Pier 21 where my husbands mother arrived from England as a war bride, we were able to get so much information. Well worth a visit for anyone interested in our history and their part in it. I really enjoy your videos and have learned from them, even being a Canadian. My MIL was from York England. I love the UK as well.

[@djmac6088]

My mother told me that her father, my grandfather was working on a ship that was in the harbour at the time of the explosion. He was not injured and I am sure helped with rescue efforts along side others members of the military.

[@kevinswinamer4697]

We was help to rebuild Halifax by Boston Massachusetts USA in every year around Christmas time we find the biggest Christmas tree and we send it to Boston and they put it up in the centre of Boston for us to say thank you for helping us during the Halifax explosion

[@melanieg5459]

Another reason Boston was so quick to respond is due to the fact that many Atantic Canadians at that time had close relatives living there. My maternal grandmother's sister had moved from rural Newfoundland to Boston, as an example. Back then, cross border migration was not as much of an issue as it is today.

[@vincentprice4076]

The Boston States. We’d always went there, not Ontario or Alberta. Laws changed.

[@xbox_junkie]

I was born in halifax but i left when i was young shortly after we had that hurricane. I dont rmember if there was any damage left over from those days.

[@donaldduffy8947]

My grandfather survived the Halifax explosion. He use to tell me about it when i was young.

[@a.b.2850]

This reminds me of the Lac Mégantic tragedy. You should cover that event next! Unbelievable

[@wryalways985]

Fascinating Horror has done a video about Lac Megantic as well.

[@francismotherway1490]

My Mother survived the explosion - my great aunt lost her arm and her husband lost his eye....there were so many people blinded by the flying glass that they had to build a huge school for the blind .

[@bernadettearsenault4489]

I am learning about my own country by watching your videos. I knew about the Halifax explosion but had forgotten how it had happened. I remember learning about the heroics of Coleman however. Thank you.

[@emerybonner7973]

If you plan to visit Halifax, visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. They have a good exhibit about the explosion. Also, they have a ship called the CSS (Canadian Surveying Ship) Acadia, which is the last remaining ship to have survived the explosion. Somehow, despite being just 1 miles or 1.6 kms from the blast site, she suffered minor damage

[@Wolfwow5]

The Dark Poutine episode about the Halifax Explosion, the guy that tells the story of the explosion, is Nova Scotian, from a small town not far from Halifax. It really is a good listen. As a Canadian not from Nova Scotia, I only learned about the explosion from the Heritage Minute. I researched a lot more before my trip out east.

[@michellerenner6880]

My grandfather lost the top of his ear but they managed to sew it back on . He was just a little boy; but he was never comfortable sitting in front of a window again for the rest of his life.

[@elohimthedoctor777]

My best friend in high school in the sixties dad was blinded in that explosion and were over three miles away, he was standing in front of the front room window.

[@8bennaboo]

Even more tragic was if everyone had started running right when the fire started, the death toll would have been much lower. The horror of the explosion did not end with the blast. Fires broke out, and people were trapped in the rubble so they burned to death. A tsunami quickly followed the blast. It was said to be so large you could see the bottom of the harbour for a moment. Fears of a second explosion at the nearby magazine, which never happened, hampered rescue efforts. That night, we were hit with a very bad blizzard and many froze. There were so many people dead, some bodies were never claimed as there was nobody left to identify them. My own great-grandmother was one of the lucky few who was shielded from the worst of it by Citadel Hill, but her skirt and shoes were blown off. Someone I used to work with, her great-grandfather was killed trying to tow the Mont Blanc out of the harbour as he knew it was going to explode. The Halifax Explosion reminds us all what happens when safety regulations are relaxed or disregarded even for a moment.

[@DarkDragonCdn]

So when was a little one I when Tower Road School and we would have a moment of silence At the time. It was at Fairview Heights School and LeMarchant that I really learn about The Halifax Explosion and Vince Coleman. So have a great day and STAY SAFE.

[@twistedfrannie9311]

One of the ferry's that run between Halifax and Dartmouth is named after Coleman.

[@SomeGuyFromOttawa]

One thing not entirely mentioned was the fact that the force of the explosion emptied the harbour of all the water, that is why the tsunami hit, when all the water rushed back to fill the harbour!