Halifax Explosion (1917)
Canada · 1917 · 2.9 kt TNT equivalent · historical explosion
Overview
Largest man-made explosion before nuclear weapons (Halifax, Nova Scotia).
With about 2.9 kt of TNT equivalent[1], the Halifax Explosion was an accidental detonation of the munitions ship SS Mont-Blanc's cargo (about 2.3 million kg of high explosives) in 1917, not a weapon.
Effect radii not shown
The Halifax Explosion (1917) was an accidental munitions-ship explosion, not a weapon. The nuclear blast and thermal scaling laws this site uses do not apply to chemical explosives, so no effect radii are shown. See the methodology page.
Related Weapons
FAQ
What was the Halifax Explosion?
The Halifax Explosion was an accidental detonation of the munitions ship SS Mont-Blanc's cargo in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 6 December 1917 — roughly 2.9 kt of TNT equivalent, the largest man-made explosion before the atomic bomb. It was not a weapon.[1]