Disaster Area
History Podcasts
A podcast about disasters throughout history - what caused them, how people survived, and how we've responded to keep those disasters from happening again.
Location:
United States
Description:
A podcast about disasters throughout history - what caused them, how people survived, and how we've responded to keep those disasters from happening again.
Language:
English
Episodes
Episode 235: The Eschede train disaster
5/1/2024
A year ago this week, I covered the Amagasaki train derailment in 2005 in Japan. Why not cover a second one seven years earlier near a small town in Germany?
Videos:
Seconds from Disaster: The Eschede derailmentTS2018 Rail Disasters - Derailment at High Speed (1998 Eschede train disaster) What Went Wrong: Countdown to Catastrophe: The Eschede Disaster
Articles and books:
Page about the Eschede train disaster memorial Germany recalls the Eschede train disaster The Cost of Comfort: The 1998 Eschede Train Derailment
Duration:01:22:56
Episode 234: The 1906 San Francisco earthquake - Part Three
4/14/2024
It's early in the morning on a Tuesday when you're awakened by the shaking of your bed, of your entire home. You think for a moment it's the end of the world. You and your family make it out of your home, even though so many others do not. For a moment, you think you are safe. Then, you smell smoke.
Videos:
A Trip Down Market Street, San Francisco - April 14th, 1906
Disaster by the Bay: The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906
The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Documentary
Footage of San Francisco's 1906 quake as it occurred
San Francisco after the devastating earthquake in 1906 like you've never seen before in color! [HD]
Articles and books:
The San Francisco Earthquake: A Minute-by-Minute Account of the 1906 Disaster, by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts
The Museum of the City of San Francisco: Timeline of the San Francisco Earthquake, April 18 - 23, 1906, along with a timeline of the graft investigation
Duration:01:01:21
Episode 233: The 1906 San Francisco earthquake - Part Two
4/7/2024
It's early in the morning on a Tuesday when you're awakened by the shaking of your bed, of your entire home. You think for a moment it's the end of the world. You and your family make it out of your home, even though so many others do not. For a moment, you think you are safe. Then, you smell smoke.
Videos:
A Trip Down Market Street, San Francisco - April 14th, 1906
Disaster by the Bay: The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906
The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake Documentary
Footage of San Francisco's 1906 quake as it occurred
San Francisco after the devastating earthquake in 1906 like you've never seen before in color! [HD]
Articles and books:
The San Francisco Earthquake: A Minute-by-Minute Account of the 1906 Disaster, by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts
The Museum of the City of San Francisco: Timeline of the San Francisco Earthquake, April 18 - 23, 1906, along with a timeline of the graft investigation
Duration:01:01:03
Episode 232: The 1906 San Francisco earthquake - Part One
3/31/2024
It's early in the morning on a Tuesday when you're awakened by the shaking of your bed, of your entire home. You think for a moment it's the end of the world. You and your family make it out of your home, even though so many others do not. For a moment, you think you are safe. Then, you smell smoke.
Videos:
A Trip Down Market Street, San Francisco - April 14th, 1906Disaster by the Bay: The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906 The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake DocumentaryFootage of San Francisco's 1906 quake as it occurredSan Francisco after the devastating earthquake in 1906 like you've never seen before in color! [HD]
Articles and books:
The San Francisco Earthquake: A Minute-by-Minute Account of the 1906 DisasterThe Museum of the City of San Francisco: Timeline of the San Francisco Earthquake, April 18 - 23, 1906timeline of the graft investigation
Duration:00:47:21
Episode 231: The Peshtigo fire
3/6/2024
The deadliest fire in American history happened not in Chicago, but in a small Wisconsin town to the north of Chicago on the exact same day - October 8th, 1871.
Videos:
Watch now: The story of the tabernacle in the Peshtigo Fire
Lake Michigan shipwreck; sank during 1871 Peshtigo Fire
Articles and books:
Firestorm at Peshtigo, by Denise Gess and William Lotz
The Great Midwest Wildfires of 1871
Wisconsin Shipwrecks: The George L. Newman
Duration:01:14:23
Episode 230: The sinking of the USS Thresher
2/28/2024
On April 9th, 1963, the nuclear-powered submarine USS Thresher departed Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for depth tests in the Atlantic. It would never return.
Videos:
Second Saturday: The Loss of the USS ThresherFinding the Titanic | Bob Ballard: An Explorer’s Life
Articles and books:
U.S. Naval Institute: What Killed the Thresher? Arlington National Cemetery: USS Thresher memorial Titanic Discovery was By-Product of Military Quest The Death of the USS Thresher: The Story Behind History's Deadliest Submarine Disaster, Navy documents reveal officer flagged "dangerous condition" before deadliest submarine disaster in U.S. history
Duration:01:32:42
Episode 229: The Collinwood school fire
1/31/2024
The deadliest school fire in American history took place on - of all days - Ash Wednesday, March 8th, 1908, in the Cleveland suburb of Collinwood just after first period ended. Within a half hour, 172 students and three adults would be dead, or close to it.
Videos:
Cleveland Public Library: Collinwood school fire Articles and books:
The Collinwood Tragedy: The Story of the Worst School Fire in American History The neighborhood never forgets Collinwood school fire: 100 years later, an angel still kneels over the children REMEMBERING THE LAKEVIEW SCHOOL FIRE (ALSO KNOWN AS COLLINWOOD SCHOOL FIRE)
Duration:01:46:21
Review: Society of the Snow
1/11/2024
Jennifer stops rewatching the movie long enough to review the movie. Spoilers ahead!
Duration:01:17:43
Episode 228: Dan Air Flight 0034
1/1/2024
You'd think if your plane crashed fifty meters from the end of the runway, you'd be saved. You'd be wrong.
Videos:
Disaster Breakdown: Locked into Disaster Articles and books:
The Lever of Death: The crash of Dan-Air flight 0034 Department of Trade report on the accident
Duration:01:07:30
Bonus: Society of the Snow
12/19/2023
Jennifer talks about "Society of the Snow," the award-nominated adaptation of the Pablo Vierci book about the survival story of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571. "Society of the Snow" comes out in select theaters on December 22nd and on Netflix on January 4th. (No, Jennifer has not seen it yet. Although dear God, does she want to.)
Duration:01:07:49
Episode 227: The North Hollywood shootout - Part Two
12/8/2023
On one February morning in 1997, a pair of men dressed in dark clothes entered a North Hollywood bank. What followed would be one of the most frightening things many Americans had ever watched live on TV up to that point.
Videos:
Zero Hour: The North Hollywood ShootoutNorth Hollywood Bank Shootout_February 28, 1997 Articles and books:
20 years ago, gunbattle terrorized North Hollywood – and shocked America Chilling portrait of robber emerges Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die Police Kill 2 Bank Robbery Suspects in a Wild Gun Battle Children Offer to Drop Suit in Robber’s Death 20 years ago, a dramatic North Hollywood shootout changed the course of the LAPD and policing at largeHow the infamous North Hollywood shootout unfolded 20 years ago The LAPD use of force report for the North Hollywood shootout A Painful Anniversary of Shootout
Duration:01:19:39
Episode 226: The North Hollywood shootout - Part One
12/1/2023
On one February morning in 1997, a pair of men dressed in dark clothes entered a North Hollywood bank. What followed would be one of the most frightening things many Americans had ever watched live on TV up to that point.
Videos:
Zero Hour: The North Hollywood ShootoutNorth Hollywood Bank Shootout_February 28, 1997 Articles and books:
20 years ago, gunbattle terrorized North Hollywood – and shocked America Chilling portrait of robber emerges Jury Unsure If Cops Let Shooter Die Police Kill 2 Bank Robbery Suspects in a Wild Gun Battle Children Offer to Drop Suit in Robber’s Death 20 years ago, a dramatic North Hollywood shootout changed the course of the LAPD and policing at largeHow the infamous North Hollywood shootout unfolded 20 years ago The LAPD use of force report for the North Hollywood shootout A Painful Anniversary of Shootout
Duration:01:07:37
Episode 225: The Who concert crush
11/23/2023
It was just supposed to be a great night out seeing one of the best rock bands in the world. It turned out to be anything but.
Videos:
What Really Happened During The Who Concert Disaster? We ExplainThe Who: The Night that Changed Rock
Articles and books:
Crowd surge at a Who concert killed 11 people in 1979: ‘It was so strong, it just tore us apart’ The Who concert 40 years later: Survivors and victims' families relive tragic night in Cincinnati They Survived the Who Concert from ‘Hell.’ Now, They Finally Have Closure Lawsuits settled in concert tragedy
Duration:01:26:25
Episode 224: The 2019 Whakaari eruption
11/17/2023
We all heard the news four years ago about a group of foolish tourists who made the mistake of visiting an active volcano and died as a result. Or at least, that's how the stories made them sound.
Videos:
Sky News Australia airs Krystal Browitt video of tour guide warning Trapped in the Volcano
Articles and books:
Eruption of Whakaari (White Island) kills ten people: September 10th, 1914 This is the family that owns the Whakaari volcanic Island The December 2019 hydrothermal explosion at White Island (Whakaari), New Zealand, and its lessons for Yellowstone White Island volcano: what we know about the victims White Island volcano eruption: Whakaari Management found guilty of ‘astonishing’ safety failures Why the New Zealand volcano eruption caught the world by surpriseInsights into the 9 December 2019 eruption of Whakaari/White Island from analysis of TROPOMI SO2 imageryWhite Island volcano: NZ officials charge 13 parties over tragedyGeonet Volcanic Alert Levels
Duration:01:43:23
Episode 223: Pan Am Flight 103 - Part Two
11/3/2023
It's the first night of winter on a windy night in Scotland when a loud noise broke the quiet over a small village. What followed was a fiery nightmare caused by the cruel intentions of others.
Videos:
Air Crash Investigations: Pan Am Flight 103
Articles and books:
AAIB report on Pan Am Flight 103 SkygodsColonel Gaddafi 'ordered Lockerbie bombing'Anger at Lockerbie bomber welcome Pan Am Jet Crashes in Scotland, Killing 270 Libya Admits Culpability In Crash of Pan Am Plane Lockerbie and the worst Christmas imaginable New Charges in Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Lockerbie bombing suspect is now in US custody Pan Am Flight 103 Terrorist Suspect in Custody for 1988 Bombing over Lockerbie, ScotlandSyracuse University Remembrance Week Schedule 2023
Duration:01:03:48
Episode 222: Pan Am Flight 103 - Part One
11/1/2023
It's the first night of winter on a windy night in Scotland when a loud noise broke the quiet over a small village. What followed was a fiery nightmare caused by the cruel intentions of others.
Videos:
Air Crash Investigations: Pan Am Flight 103
Articles and videos:
AAIB report on Pan Am Flight 103 SkygodsColonel Gaddafi 'ordered Lockerbie bombing'Anger at Lockerbie bomber welcome Pan Am Jet Crashes in Scotland, Killing 270 Libya Admits Culpability In Crash of Pan Am Plane Lockerbie and the worst Christmas imaginable New Charges in Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Lockerbie bombing suspect is now in US custody Pan Am Flight 103 Terrorist Suspect in Custody for 1988 Bombing over Lockerbie, ScotlandSyracuse University Remembrance Week Schedule 2023
Duration:00:58:28
Episode 221: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquke and tsunami - Part 3
9/29/2023
In the third part of our story, we look at the train disaster caused by the tsunami and the aftermath of the disaster.
Videos:
Compilation in chronological order of videos of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamiThe man who Filmed the Tsunami - Shocking footage of the Indonesian disasterThunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions: Sri Lanka Train Disaster 18 Years LaterThe Wave That Shook the WorldTsunami: Caught on Camera 2004 Boxing Day tsunami playlist
Articles and books:
One train, more than 1,700 dead 10 years after tsunami, Utah man recovers, composes music linked to experiences The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: The Story of the Deadliest Natural Disaster of the 21st Century Wave of Destruction: The Stories of Four Families and History's Deadliest Tsunami Scientists: Sumatra quake longest ever recorded Power of tsunami earthquake heavily underestimated Girl, 10, used geography lesson to save lives The Devastating 2004 Tsunami: Timeline 10 Years Since Dec 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: 17 years on, a look back at one of the deadliest natural disasters in history Blast from the Past The Volcanic Eruption of Krakatoa
Duration:01:41:07
Episode 220: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami - Part 2
9/22/2023
First came the earthquake, then came the wave.
Videos:
Compilation in chronological order of videos of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamiThe man who Filmed the Tsunami - Shocking footage of the Indonesian disasterThunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions: Sri Lanka Train Disaster 18 Years LaterThe Wave That Shook the WorldTsunami: Caught on Camera
Articles and books:
One train, more than 1,700 dead 10 years after tsunami, Utah man recovers, composes music linked to experiences The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: The Story of the Deadliest Natural Disaster of the 21st Century Wave of Destruction: The Stories of Four Families and History's Deadliest Tsunami Scientists: Sumatra quake longest ever recorded Power of tsunami earthquake heavily underestimated Girl, 10, used geography lesson to save lives The Devastating 2004 Tsunami: Timeline 10 Years Since Dec 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: 17 years on, a look back at one of the deadliest natural disasters in history Blast from the Past The Volcanic Eruption of Krakatoa
Duration:01:10:42
Episode 219: The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami - Part 1
9/15/2023
On December 26th, 2004, the world experienced one of the deadliest natural disasters we will ever see in our lifetimes. In part one, we will look at the earthquake which was just the start of a horrific tragedy.
Videos:
Compilation in chronological order of videos of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamiThe man who Filmed the Tsunami - Shocking footage of the Indonesian disasterThunderbolt 1000 Siren Productions: Sri Lanka Train Disaster 18 Years LaterThe Wave That Shook the WorldTsunami: Caught on Camera Articles and books:
One train, more than 1,700 dead 10 years after tsunami, Utah man recovers, composes music linked to experiences The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami: The Story of the Deadliest Natural Disaster of the 21st Century Wave of Destruction: The Stories of Four Families and History's Deadliest Tsunami Scientists: Sumatra quake longest ever recorded Power of tsunami earthquake heavily underestimated Girl, 10, used geography lesson to save lives The Devastating 2004 Tsunami: Timeline 10 Years Since Dec 26, 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami: 17 years on, a look back at one of the deadliest natural disasters in history Blast from the Past The Volcanic Eruption of Krakatoa
Duration:00:58:49
Episode 218: The Chilwell munitions factory explosion
8/1/2023
On a hot summer day in 1918, the night shift workers at the National Shell Filling Factory No. 6 in Chilwell, Nottinghamshire, England, arrived as per usual. One hundred and thirty-four of them would be dead within an hour and a half.
Videos:
Nottingham Forgotten Heroes #9 The Chilwell Munitions WorkersThe History Chap: The Chilwell Munitions Factory Explosion
Articles and books:
A History of the First World War in 100 Moments: When corpses fell from the Nottinghamshire sky Historic England Research Records: National Filling Factory Number 6 ChilwellRemembering the Chilwell Depot Explosion of 1918 and the Canary Girls, Chilwell explosion: Events mark centenary of factory blast University of Nottingham Manuscripts and Special Collections: Chilwell Shell Filling Factory Explosion Footage of Chilwell shell factory found in shed seen for the first time in 100 years Revenge of the Curds: Remembering the Great Nottingham Cheese Riot of 1766 The History Press: Disaster at the Chilwell shell-filling factory Nottingham County Council: Chilwell National Shell Filling Factory Explosion
Duration:01:37:22