The Sinking of the General Slocum
Compact Disasters
On a sunny morning in June 1904, a leisurely church outing turned to unspeakable tragedy when the General Slocum steamboat caught fire in New York’s East River. In just minutes, over a thousand lives—mostly women and children—were lost in one of America's deadliest maritime disasters. In this episode, we dive into what went wrong, how the city responded, and the haunting legacy left behind. #generalslocum #steamboatdisaster #historicaltragedy #maritimedisaster #nychistory #1900samerica #eastiverfire #5minutedisasters #urbanhistory #fireatsea
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The Great Lisbon Earthquake
Compact Disasters
In 1755, on a calm All Saints’ Day morning, Lisbon was torn apart by one of the most powerful earthquakes in European history. What followed was a deadly cascade of destruction — collapsing buildings, a towering tsunami, and fires that burned the city for days. In this episode, we unpack how a single morning reshaped Lisbon, challenged Enlightenment thinking, and changed the way the world understands natural disaster risk. #lisbonearthquake #1755disaster #tectonictragedy #historicaldisasters #tsunamihistory #earthquakefacts #5minutedisasters #urbanhistory #enlightenmentera
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The 1947 Texas City Disaster
Compact Disasters
In April 1947, Texas City became the site of the deadliest industrial accident in American history. A ship loaded with ammonium nitrate exploded in the port, triggering a chain of blasts that devastated the city, killed hundreds, and left thousands injured. In this episode, we explore the build-up, the blast, and the staggering aftermath of a disaster so massive it registered on seismographs and changed safety regulations forever. #texascitydisaster #1947explosion #industrialdisaster #ammoniumnitrate #texasdisasters #portaccident #publicsafetyhistory #5minutedisasters #urbanplanningfail...
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The 2010 Haiti Earthquake
Compact Disasters
Just over a decade after the devastating 2010 quake, Haiti was struck again in 2020—reminding the world of its lingering vulnerability. In this episode, we revisit a country already struggling to recover and examine how a second major earthquake deepened the humanitarian crisis. With fragile infrastructure, limited emergency response, and rising political instability, the tremor wasn’t just geological—it was social, economic, and profoundly human. #haitiearthquake #naturaldisasters #2020quake #humanitariandisasters #5minutedisasters #earthquakestory #crisisresponse #haitistrong...
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The Leaded Petrol Health Disaster
Compact Disasters
For decades, we pumped a neurotoxin into the air and called it progress. The global rollout of leaded petrol poisoned entire populations, especially children, under the guise of engine efficiency. In this episode, we track the history, the cover-ups, and the shocking health legacy of one of the 20th century’s most devastating environmental mistakes. #leadedpetrol #publichealthdisaster #environmentalhistory #leaddisaster #toxictruth #cleanair #climateandhealth #neurotoxins #5minutedisasters #petrolpoisoning
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The Castle Bravo Disaster
Compact Disasters
In 1954, the United States detonated its most powerful hydrogen bomb — and got it disastrously wrong. The Castle Bravo test at Bikini Atoll unleashed far more destruction than expected, contaminating islanders, American servicemen, and even a Japanese fishing crew. In this explosive episode, we examine the scientific miscalculations, the human toll, and how one test changed the global conversation around nuclear weapons forever. #castlebravo #nucleartesting #bikiniatoll #hydrogenbomb #coldwarhistory #radiationfallout #1950sdisasters #marshallislands #atomicage #compactdisasters
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The Andrea Doria Disaster
Compact Disasters
On a foggy July night in 1956, two ships crossed paths off the coast of Nantucket, and only one would sail away. When the luxurious Italian liner Andrea Doria collided with the Stockholm, it triggered one of the most dramatic maritime disasters of the 20th century. In this episode, we dive into the fatal misjudgements, the botched radar readings, and the incredible rescue that saved over 1,600 lives. #andreadoria #maritimedisaster #shipwreck #1950sdisasters #nauticaltragedy #italianliner #shipcollision #5minutedisasters #fogatsea #oceanlinerhistory
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The Granville Rail Disaster
Compact Disasters
In January 1977, a regular commuter train near Sydney became the scene of Australia's deadliest rail disaster. When the Bold Street Bridge collapsed onto two carriages during rush hour, 84 lives were lost in an instant, and over 200 more were injured. In this episode, we revisit the Granville Rail Disaster, a tragic event that exposed cracks in Australia's rail infrastructure and changed safety policy forever. #granvilledisaster #railaccident #australianhistory #1970sdisasters #trainwreck #granville1977 #railwayhistory #australiandisasters #5minutedisasters #commutertragedy
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America's Deadliest Tornado Outbreak
Compact Disasters
In April 2011, the skies over the southern and eastern United States turned lethal. Over just four days, hundreds of tornadoes carved a path of destruction across 21 states, leaving entire towns in ruins. In this episode, we revisit the 2011 Super Outbreak — the deadliest and most violent tornado outbreak in modern American history. Hear the stories of survival, the science behind the chaos, and how the event reshaped how we prepare for storms. #tornado #2011outbreak #superoutbreak #tornadodisaster #alabamaweather #naturaldisasters #severestorms #usweatherhistory #5minutedisasters...
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The Notre-Dame Fire
Compact Disasters
In this episode, we revisit the night flames engulfed one of the world’s most iconic landmarks, the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. From the first wisp of smoke to the collapse of the spire, and through to its remarkable restoration, this is the story of loss, resilience, and rebirth. Join us as we uncover how centuries of history almost vanished in a single night, and how, five years later, the bells ring once more. #notredame #parisfire #cathedralfire #historicaldisasters #architecturehistory #francehistory #restoration #heritage #firetragedy #5minutedisasters
info_outlineAround 1600 BCE, the volcanic island of Thera erupted with a force that reshaped the Aegean, sending tsunamis across the Mediterranean and burying the Minoan settlement of Akrotiri under metres of ash. In this episode, we explore how one of history’s largest eruptions destroyed an island, disrupted ancient civilisations, and may have inspired legends like Atlantis.
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