On June 23, 1900, Southern Railway’s No. 7 train came bustling down the tracks, just south of Atlanta, Georgia, toward the Camp Creek trestle. The train had recently left Macon, Georgia, early that evening, but by the time the train reached McDonough just before 10 p.m., the weather had worsened. Passengers onboard began to complain…
The Horrific 1898 Georgia Hurricane
The 1898 Georgia Hurricane was not as deadly as the 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane. Still, this storm wreaked havoc and caused significant damage when it made landfall on October 2 in Camden County, Georgia. Some have even described this event as one of the worst disasters in the history of Georgia, which resulted in 179…
The Kelly Barnes Dam Collapse
Many may not remember the Kelly Barnes Dam Collapse that occurred on November 6, 1977, but it remains as one of the worst disasters in the history of Georgia. At approximately 1:30 a.m., the Kelly Barnes Dam, located near Toccoa in Stephens County, failed due to intense rainfall in the area. The flood killed 39…
The 2008 Imperial Sugar Company Explosion and Fire
On February 7, 2008, a massive explosion rocked the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, killing 14 people and injuring 40. It was one of the worst events ever to occur, causing 14 deaths and injuring almost 40 people. The explosion was caused by massive accumulations of combustible sugar dust that fueled the fire…
The 1936 Gainesville Tornado
On April 6, 1936, two F4 tornadoes ripped through Gainesville, Georgia, killing 200 people, injuring another 1600, and leaving 2,000 homeless. The tornadoes were part of a devastating outbreak of 17 across the South. Fires broke out across Gainesville, killing 60 people at the Cooper Pants Factory alone. It’s considered the worst weather-related disaster in…
The 1972 Sidney Lanier Bridge Collapse
Something went terribly wrong on November 7, 1972, on the Sidney Lanier Bridge, across the Brunswick River in Brunswick, Georgia, when the SS African Neptune crashed into the structure, just before 10 pm. The cargo ship with a whole load of naval stores collided and crumbled three 150-foot spans of the mile-long bridge. The center…