Disaster Area

Latest Episodes:

Episode 164: The sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff Apr 28, 2021

Show notes

The deadliest shipwreck of all time took place on a cold January night in 1945, when a recommissioned German cruise ship carrying thousands of East Prussian refugees to safety in the west didn't notice the long slim Soviet sub following them in the icy Baltic waters until it was far too late.

Episode 163: The Colectiv nightclub fire Apr 25, 2021

Show notes

On the night of October 30, 2015, the Romanian heavy metal band Goodbye to Gravity held a free concert at Club Colectiv in Bucharest. The events of that night would upend Romanian society and government in ways no one could have seen coming.

Episode 162: The Santiago prison fire Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

Chilean prisons were overcrowded, rife with violence, and dilapidated beyond human habitation. It was only a matter of time before the system imploded, and on December 8th, 2010, it finally did - all thanks to a propane gas stove.

Episode 161: The Holodomor Apr 14, 2021

Show notes

By 1932, Ukrainians would see their lands taken to be turned into collective farms, their cupboards emptied, their valuables stolen, and anyone who complained shipped off to work camps. But from 1932 to 1933, Ukraine would experience the final results of having all of that taken away - a long torturous genocide by starvation.

Episode 160: The Great London beer flood Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

Drinks are on the house! And in the street, and in the basements, and ... well, they're everywhere. On October 17th, 1814, in St. Giles Rookery, London, that was kind of the problem.

Episode 159: The Swampscott train wreck Mar 31, 2021

Show notes

On a snowy Tuesday in 1956, it's more than likely most of the people on the 8:00 AM train from Danvers, Massachusetts, to Boston would much rather have been home warm and toasty in their bed. Instead, those in the front car would soon find themselves facing a horrifying death.

Episode 158: Germanwings Flight 9525 Mar 01, 2021

Show notes

On March 24, 2015, Germanwings Flight 9525 went down over the French Alps. But it wasn't mechanical failure or bad weather which brought down the doomed flight. It was an entirely different kind of tragic.

Episode 157: The Joplin tornado Feb 28, 2021

Show notes

At 5:34 PM on May 22, 2011, the town of Joplin, Missouri, faced a threat that every town in the Midwest expects to face at some time or another - a tornado. But the monster which grew to life just to the southwest of Joplin became a nightmare which tore apart everything in its path.

Episode 156: The SS Yarmouth Castle Feb 26, 2021

Show notes

Maybe now is not the best time to take a cruise, but back in 1965 a short Caribbean cruise to the Bahamas could be a lovely break for those in Miami looking for a little fun. The SS Yarmouth Castle was just one of several ships people could take on a relaxing weekend trip. But on November 13th, 1965, the fun on the Yarmouth Castle ended with the steady stream of smoke coming from storage room 610.

Episode 155: Saudia Flight 163 Jan 31, 2021

Show notes

When you board an aircraft, you would hope your captain, first officer, and flight engineer are experienced, well-trained, and able to work well together in an emergency. The passengers who boarded Saudia Flight 163 in August of 1980 were not so fortunate.

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