23 Historical Disaster Photos to Put the Fear of God in an Atheist

Daniel Bonfiglio Published 06/25/2024 in wow

Just because we don't have as many photos and videos of historical disasters, doesn't mean they didn't happen. They didn't have gawking bystanders with iPhones.

Living in a time without the same safety regulations, but with the same dangerous weather, our ancestors definitely experienced their fair share of tragedy. Here are 23 historical photos of old disasters that will make you glad you're not living in the past.

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1.
Parking lot 1/4 of a mile away from the explosion, Texas City disaster, 1947.
2.
On February 20, 1947 the O'Connor Plating Works disaster killed 17 and damaged 11 buildings beyond repair.
3.
Earliest known photo of Chernobyl disaster, taken by powerplant's photographer, dawn of April 26th, 1986.
4.
More from Chernobyl.
5.
6.
Tasmanian bridge disaster. Tasmania, Australia. 1975.
7.
Los Alfaques disaster. Tarragona Spain. 1978.
8.
Survivors from the "Andes Flight Disaster" wait to be rescued. Of the initial 45 passengers and crew, only 16 survived. Chile/Argentina border, 1972.
9.
The Hindenburg, May 6, 1937.
10.
11.
The Honda Point disaster, which happened on September 8th, 1923.
12.
Emmett Kelly, the original "sad clown," rushes to help put out the Hartford circus fire, 1944.
13.
The aftermath of the Linate Airport disaster. On 8 October 2001, SAS Flight 686 carrying 110 people collided on take-off with a business jet carrying four people, then it crashed into a luggage hangar. All people on both aircrafts were killed, as well as four people on the ground. Italy, 2001.
14.
In 1989, The Soviet Union witnessed its worst train disaster ever, the Ufa train disaster.
15.
Aftermath of the Port Chicago Disaster where two cargo ships loaded with explosives and fuel detonated, killing 320 people. July 17th, 1944.
16.
Jan. 28th, 1986. Space shuttle challenger disaster.
17.
Tangiwai disaster. The wrecked rail carriages on the banks of the Whangaehu Stream. The locomotive and the first six carriages derailed into the river, killing 151 people. The disaster remains New Zealand's worst rail accident. Tangiwai, New Zealand 1953.
18.
The Berlin Velodrome Disaster, where a pacer motorcycle in a motor-paced cycling race crashed into the stands and caught fire, killing nine, 1909.
19.
Aerial view of Oude-Tonge, one of the many villages that was flooded during the North Sea flood on Sunday morning, February 1, 1953. The largest natural disaster that the Netherlands has known in the 20th century.
20.
Green Ramp disaster: The wreckage of a C-141 aircraft at Pope Air Force Base after being hit by an out-of-control F-16 on March 23, 1994.
21.
The Superga air disaster. 31 dead, including all the Torino FC players, no survivors. 4 May 1949.
22.
People are smashed against a fence during the Hillsborough human crush disaster. April 15th, 1989.
23.
The chaos caused by the Galveston Hurricane of September 8, 1900, the deadliest natural disaster in American history.

1.
Parking lot 1/4 of a mile away from the explosion, Texas City disaster, 1947.
2.
On February 20, 1947 the O'Connor Plating Works disaster killed 17 and damaged 11 buildings beyond repair.
3.
Earliest known photo of Chernobyl disaster, taken by powerplant's photographer, dawn of April 26th, 1986.
4.
More from Chernobyl.
5.
6.
Tasmanian bridge disaster. Tasmania, Australia. 1975.
7.
Los Alfaques disaster. Tarragona Spain. 1978.
8.
Survivors from the "Andes Flight Disaster" wait to be rescued. Of the initial 45 passengers and crew, only 16 survived. Chile/Argentina border, 1972.
9.
The Hindenburg, May 6, 1937.
10.
11.
The Honda Point disaster, which happened on September 8th, 1923.
12.
Emmett Kelly, the original "sad clown," rushes to help put out the Hartford circus fire, 1944.
13.
The aftermath of the Linate Airport disaster. On 8 October 2001, SAS Flight 686 carrying 110 people collided on take-off with a business jet carrying four people, then it crashed into a luggage hangar. All people on both aircrafts were killed, as well as four people on the ground. Italy, 2001.
14.
In 1989, The Soviet Union witnessed its worst train disaster ever, the Ufa train disaster.
15.
Aftermath of the Port Chicago Disaster where two cargo ships loaded with explosives and fuel detonated, killing 320 people. July 17th, 1944.
16.
Jan. 28th, 1986. Space shuttle challenger disaster.
17.
Tangiwai disaster. The wrecked rail carriages on the banks of the Whangaehu Stream. The locomotive and the first six carriages derailed into the river, killing 151 people. The disaster remains New Zealand's worst rail accident. Tangiwai, New Zealand 1953.
18.
The Berlin Velodrome Disaster, where a pacer motorcycle in a motor-paced cycling race crashed into the stands and caught fire, killing nine, 1909.
19.
Aerial view of Oude-Tonge, one of the many villages that was flooded during the North Sea flood on Sunday morning, February 1, 1953. The largest natural disaster that the Netherlands has known in the 20th century.
20.
Green Ramp disaster: The wreckage of a C-141 aircraft at Pope Air Force Base after being hit by an out-of-control F-16 on March 23, 1994.
21.
The Superga air disaster. 31 dead, including all the Torino FC players, no survivors. 4 May 1949.
22.
People are smashed against a fence during the Hillsborough human crush disaster. April 15th, 1989.
23.
The chaos caused by the Galveston Hurricane of September 8, 1900, the deadliest natural disaster in American history.

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1. Parking lot 1/4 of a mile away from the explosion, Texas City disaster, 1947.

2. On February 20, 1947 the O'Connor Plating Works disaster killed 17 and damaged 11 buildings beyond repair.

3. Earliest known photo of Chernobyl disaster, taken by powerplant's photographer, dawn of April 26th, 1986.

4. More from Chernobyl.

5.

6. Tasmanian bridge disaster. Tasmania, Australia. 1975.

7. Los Alfaques disaster. Tarragona Spain. 1978.

8. Survivors from the "Andes Flight Disaster" wait to be rescued. Of the initial 45 passengers and crew, only 16 survived. Chile/Argentina border, 1972.

9. The Hindenburg, May 6, 1937.

10.

11. The Honda Point disaster, which happened on September 8th, 1923.

12. Emmett Kelly, the original "sad clown," rushes to help put out the Hartford circus fire, 1944.

13. The aftermath of the Linate Airport disaster. On 8 October 2001, SAS Flight 686 carrying 110 people collided on take-off with a business jet carrying four people, then it crashed into a luggage hangar. All people on both aircrafts were killed, as well as four people on the ground. Italy, 2001.

14. In 1989, The Soviet Union witnessed its worst train disaster ever, the Ufa train disaster.

15. Aftermath of the Port Chicago Disaster where two cargo ships loaded with explosives and fuel detonated, killing 320 people. July 17th, 1944.

16. Jan. 28th, 1986. Space shuttle challenger disaster.

17. Tangiwai disaster. The wrecked rail carriages on the banks of the Whangaehu Stream. The locomotive and the first six carriages derailed into the river, killing 151 people. The disaster remains New Zealand's worst rail accident. Tangiwai, New Zealand 1953.

18. The Berlin Velodrome Disaster, where a pacer motorcycle in a motor-paced cycling race crashed into the stands and caught fire, killing nine, 1909.

19. Aerial view of Oude-Tonge, one of the many villages that was flooded during the North Sea flood on Sunday morning, February 1, 1953. The largest natural disaster that the Netherlands has known in the 20th century.

20. Green Ramp disaster: The wreckage of a C-141 aircraft at Pope Air Force Base after being hit by an out-of-control F-16 on March 23, 1994.

21. The Superga air disaster. 31 dead, including all the Torino FC players, no survivors. 4 May 1949.

22. People are smashed against a fence during the Hillsborough human crush disaster. April 15th, 1989.

23. The chaos caused by the Galveston Hurricane of September 8, 1900, the deadliest natural disaster in American history.

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1.
Parking lot 1/4 of a mile away from the explosion, Texas City disaster, 1947.

2.
On February 20, 1947 the O'Connor Plating Works disaster killed 17 and damaged 11 buildings beyond repair.

3.
Earliest known photo of Chernobyl disaster, taken by powerplant's photographer, dawn of April 26th, 1986.

4.
More from Chernobyl.

6.
Tasmanian bridge disaster. Tasmania, Australia. 1975.

7.
Los Alfaques disaster. Tarragona Spain. 1978.

8.
Survivors from the "Andes Flight Disaster" wait to be rescued. Of the initial 45 passengers and crew, only 16 survived. Chile/Argentina border, 1972.

9.
The Hindenburg, May 6, 1937.

11.
The Honda Point disaster, which happened on September 8th, 1923.

12.
Emmett Kelly, the original "sad clown," rushes to help put out the Hartford circus fire, 1944.

13.
The aftermath of the Linate Airport disaster. On 8 October 2001, SAS Flight 686 carrying 110 people collided on take-off with a business jet carrying four people, then it crashed into a luggage hangar. All people on both aircrafts were killed, as well as four people on the ground. Italy, 2001.

14.
In 1989, The Soviet Union witnessed its worst train disaster ever, the Ufa train disaster.

15.
Aftermath of the Port Chicago Disaster where two cargo ships loaded with explosives and fuel detonated, killing 320 people. July 17th, 1944.

16.
Jan. 28th, 1986. Space shuttle challenger disaster.

17.
Tangiwai disaster. The wrecked rail carriages on the banks of the Whangaehu Stream. The locomotive and the first six carriages derailed into the river, killing 151 people. The disaster remains New Zealand's worst rail accident. Tangiwai, New Zealand 1953.

18.
The Berlin Velodrome Disaster, where a pacer motorcycle in a motor-paced cycling race crashed into the stands and caught fire, killing nine, 1909.

19.
Aerial view of Oude-Tonge, one of the many villages that was flooded during the North Sea flood on Sunday morning, February 1, 1953. The largest natural disaster that the Netherlands has known in the 20th century.

20.
Green Ramp disaster: The wreckage of a C-141 aircraft at Pope Air Force Base after being hit by an out-of-control F-16 on March 23, 1994.

21.
The Superga air disaster. 31 dead, including all the Torino FC players, no survivors. 4 May 1949.

22.
People are smashed against a fence during the Hillsborough human crush disaster. April 15th, 1989.

23.
The chaos caused by the Galveston Hurricane of September 8, 1900, the deadliest natural disaster in American history.