Anchor Blown a Mile From Explosion
Texas City, Texas
One of the largest man-made non-nuclear explosions in history occurred in the port of Texas City. On April 16, 1947, a fire broke out on the SS Grandcamp, which, unfortunately, was packed with 2,300 tons of highly explosive ammonium nitrate. The ship blew up, and somehow its five-ton anchor became airborne and flew a mile before crashing here. At least 600 people died. The few surviving witnesses compared the scene of devastation to the firebombings of World War II.