List of accidents and disasters by death toll


This is a list of accidents and disasters by death toll. It shows the number of fatalities associated with various explosions, structural fires, flood disasters, [Mining accident|coal naval mine|mine disasters], and other notable accidents caused by negligence connected to improper architecture, planning, construction, design, and more. Purposeful disasters, such as military or terrorist attacks, are omitted.
While all of the listed accidents caused immediately massive numbers of lives lost, further widespread deaths were connected to many of these incidents, often the result of prolonged or lingering effects of the initial catastrophe. This was the case particularly in such cases as exposure to contaminated air, toxic chemicals or radiation, some years later due to lung damage, cancer, etc. Some numbers in the table below reflect both immediate and delayed deaths related to accidents, while many do not.

Engineering

Explosions

DeathsDateIncident
20,000Wanggongchang Explosion in Beijing, China, in the Wanggongchang Gunpowder Factory, destroyed part of the city and killed 20,000 people
4,000Ammunition trucks exploded near a railway station in Cali, Colombia
3,000–4,000Sinking of SS Kiangya in the Huangpu River near Shanghai, China, due to unidentified explosion
400-6,000A lightning bolt caused the explosion of a gunpowder depot in Brescia, Italy, destroying one-sixth of the city No exact details on how many people died are available, but a rough estimate is around 3,000.
1,400–2,280An ammunition warehouse in San Andrés Chalchicomula, Mexico, exploded and killed almost all of the Oaxaca brigade during the first days of the Second French intervention in Mexico
1,950Halifax Explosion in Nova Scotia, Canada
1,500Smederevo Fortress explosion of stockpiled ammunition at Smederevo Fortress near Belgrade in the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia
256–1,500+A military warehouse exploded, killing up to two-thirds of the population of Campo Maior district of Portalegre, Portugal
1,200Explosion of ammunition on the Chinese troopship Kuang Yuang, near Kiukiang, China
1,121Japanese battleship Mutsu, at Hashirajima harbor, 1943, due to magazine explosion; ship sank on 9 June
1,100Lagos Armoury Explosion, in Lagos, Nigeria; many deaths were from drowning during the resulting panic
1,082Jesse pipeline explosion, near Lagos, Nigeria
1,007Ammunition transporter explosion in Hamont, Belgium
1,000+Explosion of a gunpowder factory in Grenelle, France
843Propellant explosion of the British dreadnought battleship
800Bombay Docks Explosion in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India
741British pre-dreadnought battleship destroyed due to a magazine explosion
700Iraqi military plant exploded at Al Hillah, Babil, Iraq
621Explosion of a dynamite depot in Brazil.
600+Explosion of the Caterina Costa, at port of Naples; over 3000 were also injured
590Explosion of dynamite cargo on the steamship, in at the port of Santander, Spain, with more than 2,000 injured.
581Texas City disaster in the Port of Texas City, Texas, USA; over 5,000 were also injured.
575Ufa train disaster in Ufa, Soviet Union.
565Oppau explosion at a BASF plant in Germany; possibly as many as 1,500 were killed
542SS Charles Henderson ammunition explosion at Bari, Italy; 1,800 injured
508A gasoline pipeline exploded in the favela of Vila Sao Jose, Cubatão, Brazil
500+San Juanico disaster, in Mexico City, Mexico
372Ammunition ship exploded at Seeadler Harbor, killing 372 and injuring 371
370+Powder magazine in Negro Fort in Spanish Florida exploded during battle with United States forces.
339Japanese battleship Mikasa explosion of magazine (artillery) while at port
320Port Chicago disaster at Port Chicago, California, United States
300+Brazzaville arms dump blasts at Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
296+New London School explosion at New London, Texas, United States
291Fireworks stand explosion in Lima, Peru. 235 bodies recovered, 144+ taken to hospital due to burns.
286An explosion occurred on the French battleship Liberté
256Gas station explosion in Accra, Ghana
150–240Gunpowder magazine explosion, Birgu, Malta
234PetroChina Chuandongbei natural gas field explosion, Guoqiao, Chongqing, China
230+2010 South Kivu fuel tank explosion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
228Russian battleship Imperatritsa Mariya magazine explosion
220Gunpowder explosion on the train doing Japanese military and civilian transportation, Itoman, Okinawa, Japan
219Bahawalpur explosion, an oil truck exploded in Bahawalpur, Pakistan
2182020 Beirut explosion, Beirut, Lebanon
218Filling station explosion in Berkadzor, Nagorno-Karabakh
215Los Alfaques disaster, in Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Spain
2071948 BASF tank car explosion, Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany; 3,818 were also injured
206Gas explosions in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
2062015 tanker explosion in Juba, South Sudan
200+Gotera ammunition dump explosion in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Industrial

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
3,787–16,0002–3 December 1984Bhopal disasterUnion Carbide factory, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
1,54926 April 1942Benxihu Colliery explosionBenxi, Liaoning, Manchukuo
1,09910 March 1906Courrières mine disasterCourrières, France
68715 December 1914Mitsubishi Hōjō coal mine disasterKyūshū, Japan
6829 May 1960Laobaidong colliery coal dust explosionDatong, China
58116 April 1947Texas City disasterTexas City, Texas, U.S.
51228 August 1899Sumitomo Besshi bronze mine area, landslide with debris flow disasterNiihama, Shikoku, Japan
500+19 November 1984San Juanico DisasterMexico City, Mexico
476–1,0001931Hawks Nest Tunnel disasterGauley Bridge, West Virginia, United States
4589 November 1963Mitsui Miike Coal Mine disasterMitsui Miike, Ōmuta, Fukuoka, Japan
43914 October 1913Senghenydd Colliery DisasterSenghenydd, Wales
43721 January 1960Coalbrook mining disasterCoalbrook, South Africa
4276 June 1972Wankie coal mine disasterWankie, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe
42228 November 1914Mine explosion caused by Methane gasNew Yubari Yūbari, Hokkaidō, Japan
40520 February 1946Bergkamen mining disasterBergkamen, West Germany
38812 December 1866Oaks Colliery mining disasterBarnsley, England
37528 May 1965Mine explosion caused by Methane gasDhanbad Bihar, India
37227 December 1975Chasnala mining disasterSudamdih Colliery Dhanbad, India
36921 December 1917 Coal mine disaster at Kaijima-kirino mineMiyata, Fukuoka Japan
36520 July 1907Hokoku, Itoda, Kyūshū, Japan
3626 December 1907Monongah Mining disasterMonongah, West Virginia, U.S.
34421 December 1910Pretoria Pit DisasterWesthoughton, England
31931 May 1892Marie ore mine firePříbram, Austria-Hungary
30113 May 2014Soma mine disasterManisa, Turkey
300+9 May 1993Nambija mine disaster, landslide destroying several mines and buildingsZamora-Chinchipe, Ecuador
2997 February 1962Luisenthal mine disasterSaarland, West Germany
29023 June 1894Fire and explosionAlbion Colliery, Wales
28911 September 2012Karachi factory fireKarachi, Pakistan
2778 September 20082008 Shanxi mudslide caused by collapse of a mine landfillXiangfen, Linfen, Shanxi, China
27025 January 2019Brumadinho dam disaster caused by the collapse of a mining damBrumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil
26811 September 1878Abercarn colliery disasterAbercarn, Wales
26622 September 1934Gresford DisasterGresford, Wales
26322 October 1913Dawson, New MexicoU.S.
2633 March 1992Incirharmani, Kozlu, Zonguldak, Turkey
2628 August 1956Marcinelle mining disasterMarcinelle, Belgium
25913 November 19091909 Cherry Mine disasterCherry, Illinois, U.S.
25411 November 1937Kogushi sulfur mine collapsewestern Gunma, Japan
2435 August 1909Onoura, Kirino, Kyūshū, Japan
24323 December 2003PetroChina Chuandongbei natural gas field explosionGuoqiao, Kai County, Chongqing, China
23919 December 1907Darr Mine DisasterJacobs Creek, Pennsylvania, U.S.
2361 June 1965Chikuho Yamano, Kyūshū, Japan
23514 June 1894Karviná Colliery DisasterKarviná, Austria-Hungary
22028 March 1965El Cobre tailing dam and copper mine failure by earthquakeChile
21619 May 1902Fraterville Mine disasterFraterville, Tennessee, U.S.
21415 February 20052005 Sunjiawan mine disasterSunjiawan, Fuxin, Liaoning, China
21015 June 1899Hokoku, Itoda, Kyūshū, Japan
20416 January 1862Hartley Colliery DisasterNew Hartley, Northumberland, England
20225 May 1917Bolevec DisasterPilsen, Bohemia, now in Czech Republic
200+1 May 1900Scofield Mine disasterScofield, Utah, U.S.
200+27 February 1908Mina Rosita Vieja disasterSan Juan de Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico

Nuclear and radiation

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
200–6,00029 September 1957Mayak nuclear waste storage tank explosion. 270,000 people were exposed to dangerous radiation levels.Chelyabinsk, Soviet Union
100–24010 October 1957Windscale fireWindscale, Seascale, Cumbria, England. .
95–4,000+26 April 1986Chernobyl disaster. The official report is 31 immediate deaths, 64 recorded cancer deaths by 2008, and potentially up to, but no more than, 4,000 total cancer deaths. Far-higher death toll estimates have been made, but these are disputed.Pripyat, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
17August 2000 March 2001Instituto Oncológico Nacional, patients receiving treatment for cancer receive lethal doses of radiation.Panama City, Panama
1319961996 San Juan de Dios radiotherapy accident, 114 patients received an overdose of radiation.San José, Costa Rica
11December 1990Clinic of Zaragoza radiotherapy accident, Zaragoza, Spain
1010 August 1985Soviet submarine K-431 accident, near Vladivostok, Russia
101974–1976Columbus radiotherapy accident, 88 injuriesColumbus, Ohio, United States

Structural collapses

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
26,000–240,0008 August 1975Failure of Banqiao Dam and 60 other dams in Ru River basin. Figure includes subsequent diseases and hunger-related deaths.Zhumadian, China
20,000+AD 27Amphitheater collapseFidenae, Italy
11,30011 September 20232023 Derna dam collapseDerna, Libya
1,800–25,00011 August 19791979 Machchhu dam failureMorbi, India
2,20831 May 1889Johnstown FloodJohnstown, Pennsylvania, United States
1,13424 April 2013Rana Plaza collapseSavar Upazila, Bangladesh
1,000+19 August 1917Tigra Dam failureGwalior, India
1,00012 July 1961Panshet Dam failurePune, India
9413 May 1868Iruka Lake Dam failureInuyama, Japan
500–150020 September 1807Eitai Bridge collapseTokyo, Japan
60830 April 1802Puentes dam collapsed floodingLorca, Spain
50229 June 1995Sampoong Department Store collapseSeoul, South Korea
400–600+12 March 1928St. Francis Dam failureLos Angeles County, California, United States
4232 December 1959Malpasset Dam failureFréjus, France
3561 December 1923Gleno Dam failureBergamo, Italy
250–43418 August 2008Koshi Barrage failureKoshi River, Nepal
270+25 January 2019Failure of tailings dam on Córrego do Feijão iron ore mineBrumadinho, Minas Gerais, Brazil
26819 July 1985Val di Stava dam collapseTesero, Italy
24411 March 1864Dale Dike Reservoir dam failureSheffield, England, United Kingdom
23810 June 1972Dam failure caused by 1972 Black Hills floodRapid City, South Dakota, United States
2318 April 2025Jet Set nightclub roof collapseSanto Domingo, Dominican Republic
107–5001 May 1966Dam failureVratsa, Bulgaria
22616 April 1850Angers Bridge collapseAngers, France
200+31 October 2017Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site tunnel collapseNorth Korea
~20020 January 1980Collapse of wooden bleachers at Corralejas bullring/stadiumSincelejo, Colombia
16917 November 1981Manila Film Center collapsePasay, Philippines
~16010 December 2016Uyo church collapseUyo, Nigeria
150+10 September 2024Alau Dam collapseBorno State, Nigeria
148+24 August 2024Arbaat Dam collapsePort Sudan, Sudan
120–18020 April 1986Kantale Dam failureKantale, Sri Lanka
14510 January 1860Pemberton Mill collapseLawrence, Massachusetts, United States
1449 January 1959Vega de Tera disasterRibadelago, Spain
14130 October 20222022 Morbi bridge collapseMorbi, India
14019 November 1974Makahali River bridge collapseBaitadi, Nepal
13916 May 1874Mill River dam failureWilliamsburg, Massachusetts, United States
13913 September 1976Apartment building collapseKarachi, Pakistan
13513 August 1993Collapse of the Royal Plaza HotelNakhon Ratchasima, Thailand
12828 July 1983Guavio hydroelectric project dam collapseBogotá, Colombia
12526 February 1972Buffalo Creek floodLogan County, West Virginia, United States
1258 November 1984Rope bridge collapseMunnar, India
1201 February 1942Nuns' school chapel collapseBiblian, Ecuador
1171951Heiwa Lake Dam failureKameoka, Japan
11512 September 20142014 Synagogue Church Building CollapseLagos State, Nigeria
11417 July 1981Hyatt Regency walkway collapseKansas City, Missouri, United States
11111 September 2015Mecca crane collapseMasjid al-Haram, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
11113 August 1935Dam failureMolare, Italy
1081951Taisho Lake Dam failureIde, Japan
100+1 December 2000Dongguan Mall collapseDongguan, China
10021 February 1890Walnut Grove Dam failureWickenburg, Arizona, United States
10016 June 1990Saque Comprehensive College collapsePort Harcourt, Nigeria

Structural fires

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
2,000–3,000Church of the Company FireSantiago, Chile
1,700–2,845+Chongqing Waterfront Fire – "9–2 Fire"Chongqing, China
1,67025 May 1845Theater fireCanton, China
900June 1871Theater fireShanghai, China
80030 December 1836Lehman Theater fireSt. Petersburg, Russia
69418 February 1977Xinjiang 61st Regiment Farm fireXinjiang, China
65813 February 1937Antoung Movie Theater fireNantong, China
61426 February 1918Happy Valley Racecourse fireHong Kong
60230 1903Iroquois Theatre fireChicago, Illinois, United States
60020 May 1872Theater fireTientsin, China
53823 December 1995Dayananda Anglo Vedic private school fireMandi Dabwali, Haryana, India
53017 March 2000Kanungu church fireKanungu, Uganda
50017 December 1961Gran Circus Norte-Americano Niterói circus fireNiterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
49228 November 1942Cocoanut Grove fireBoston, Massachusetts, United States
4488 December 1881Ringtheater fireVienna, Austria
43013 January 1883Circus Ferroni fireBerdichev, Ukraine
40017 December 1778Coliseo theater fireZaragoza, Spain
3961 August 2004Paraguay supermarket fireAsunción, Paraguay
377–470+19 August 1978Cinema Rex fireAbadan, Iran
36014 February 2012Comayagua prison fireComayagua, Honduras
326+30 June 19001900 Hoboken Docks fireHoboken, New Jersey, United States
32410 December 19941994 Karamay fireKaramay, China
32221 April 1930Ohio Penitentiary fireColumbus, Ohio, United States
32222 May 1967L'Innovation Department Store fireBrussels, Belgium
31227 March 1910Barn fireÖköritófülpös, Hungary
30925 December 2000Dongdu Commercial shopping center fireLuoyang, China
29129 December 2001Mesa Redonda fireLima, Peru
28928 October 19951995 Baku Metro fireBaku, Azerbaijan
28911 September 20122012 Karachi garment factory fireKarachi, Pakistan
278+5 December 1876Brooklyn Theatre fireBrooklyn, New York, United States
25015 February 1909Flores Theater fireAcapulco, Mexico
24227 January 2013Kiss nightclub fire in Santa MariaRio Grande do Sul, Brazil
23427 November 1994Discothèque fireFuxin, China
22514 July 1960Mental hospital fireGuatemala City, Guatemala
20923 April 1940Rhythm Club fireNatchez, Mississippi, United States
2086 March 1943Hoteiza theater fireKucchan, Japan

Recreation

Amusement parks

DeathsDateAttractionAmusement parkLocation
3225 May 2024TRP Game Zone '; fire at indoor theme parkTRP games food entertainmentRajkot, Gujarat, India
2814 February 2004Transvaal Park '; the roof of the indoor water park collapsedTransvaal ParkYasenevo, Moscow, Russia
1527 June 2015Formosa Fun Coast music stage; a dust explosion on a music stage; over 400 others injuredFormosa Fun CoastBali, New Taipei, Taiwan
811 May 1984Haunted Castle; a fire caused by a cigarette lighter igniting the flammable foam-rubber walls of the facilitySix Flags Great AdventureJackson Township, New Jersey, United States
79 June 1979Ghost Train; a fire at the park's ghost train ride caused by either faulty wiring or sabotageLuna Park SydneySydney, Australia
714 August 1981Skylab; a crane collided with the Skylab carousel; fifteen injuredHamburger DomHamburg,
613 August 1944Virginia Reel; a fire at the facility; 125 injuredPalisades Amusement ParkCliffside Park-Fort Lee, New Jersey, United States
629 June 2010Eco-Adventure Valley Space Journey; a malfunction at a rocket launch ride; ten injuredOCT EastYantian District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
530 May 1972Big Dipper; the roller coaster broke free from its haulage rope; thirteen injuredBattersea ParkBattersea, London, England
513 August 2007Section of Ferris wheel failed causing people to fall.World Carnival BusanBusan, South Korea
523 June 2017Kuzuluk Aquapark swimming pool; five people died after being electrocuted in the swimming poolKuzuluk AquaparkAkyazi, Turkey
424 July 1930Big Dipper; a bolt came loose from the roller coaster; seventeen injuredKrug ParkOmaha, Nebraska, United States
425 October 2016Thunder River Rapids Ride; one of the rafts at the ride flipped upside down and became wedged under a conveyor beltDreamworldGold Coast, Queensland, Australia
314 June 1986Mindbender; one of the roller coaster carriages failed and crashed into a concrete pillarGalaxylandEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
326 July 1978Skyway; a gondola detached from its cable and plunged to the groundSix Flags St. LouisEureka, Missouri, United States

Crowd crushes

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
6,00029 March 1809Porto Boat Bridge disaster in Porto. Civilians fleeing the advancing French army tried to cross the Douro river over a fragile pontoon bridge, which collapsed.Portugal
4,0005 June 1941Mass panic at air raid shelter, during Japanese bombing of Chongqing, most deaths caused by suffocation.Chongqing, China
2,400+24 September 20152015 Mina stampede en route to the Stoning of the Devil ritualMina, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
1,4263 July 19901990 Mecca tunnel tragedy inside a pedestrian tunnelMina, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
1,38930 May 1896Khodynka Tragedy at coronation of Nicholas II Khodynka Field, Moscow, Russia
95331 August 20052005 Al-Aaimmah bridge stampede Baghdad, Iraq
8003 February 19541954 Prayag Kumbh Mela stampede, crowd crush at religious festivalAllahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
36312 January 20062006 Hajj stampedeMina, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
35722 November 2010Phnom Penh stampedePhnom Penh, Cambodia
35423 October 1942Crowd crush during an attack by the RAF Bomber Command in World War II as they made their way into Galleria delle Grazie, a railway tunnel used as an air-raid shelter.Genoa, Italy
32824 May 1964Estadio Nacional disasterLima, Peru
27023 May 19941994 Hajj stampedeMina, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
25825 January 2005Mandher Devi temple stampedeWai, Maharashtra, India
2511 February 20042004 Hajj stampedeMina, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
24511 October 1711Bridge stampedeLyon, France
22430 September 20082008 Jodhpur stampede disaster in Chamunda Devi templeJodhpur, India
18316 June 1883Victoria Hall theatre stairway crushSunderland, England
1733 March 1943Bethnal Green tube station panicLondon, England
1623 August 2008Naina Devi Temple stampedeBilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, India
15929 October 2022Seoul Halloween crowd crushSeoul, South Korea
1351 October 20222022 Kanjuruhan Stadium disasterMalang, East Java, Indonesia
13023 November 19941994 Gowari stampede in Maharashtra State Legislature buildingNagpur, Maharastra, India
1269 May 2001Accra Sports Stadium disasterAccra, Ghana
1241 January 1956Yahiko Shrine Stampede: New Year event stampede at Yahiko ShrineYahiko, Niigata, Japan
1232 July 20242024 Hathras crowd crush: A crowd crush caused by overcrowding during a satsangHathras district, Uttar Pradesh, India
1189 April 19981998 Hajj stampedeMina, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
11519 September 1902Shiloh Baptist Church stampedeBirmingham, Alabama
11513 October 20132013 Madhya Pradesh stampedeRatangarh, India
11011 February 1823Carnival tragedy of 1823Valletta, Malta
10614 January 20112011 Sabarimala crowd crush, broken out during an annual pilgrimageSabarimala, Kerala, India
105-200+1–2 September 20242024 Makala jailbreak attempt: At least 129 people were killed while attempting to escape the Makala Central Prison. 24 were fatally shotSelembao, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
10510 October 1991Yingze Park lantern festival stampedeTaiyuan, Shanxi, China

Sporting events

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
1,300Between 284 and 286 ADCollapse of a wall of Circus MaximusRome
1,112140 ADCollapse of the upper tier of the Circus MaximusRome
61426 February 1918Happy Valley Racecourse fireHappy Valley, Hong Kong
32824 May 1964Estadio Nacional disasterLima, Peru
~20020 January 1980Collapse of wooden bleachers at Corralejas bullringSincelejo, Sucre, Colombia
1351 October 20222022 Kanjuruhan Stadium disasterMalang, East Java, Indonesia
1279 May 2001Accra Sports Stadium disasterAccra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana
9715 April 1989Hillsborough stadium crushSheffield, England
9312 March 1988Hailstorm & Stadium crushKathmandu, Nepal
8316 October 1996Doroteo Guamuch Flores disaster, stadium crowd crushGuatemala City, Guatemala
8211 June 19551955 Le Mans disaster, motor racing accidentLe Mans, France
791 February 2012Port Said Stadium disasterPort Said, Egypt
7123 June 1968Puerta 12 crushBuenos Aires, Argentina
662 January 1971Second Ibrox stadium disaster, stairway crowd crushGlasgow, Scotland
6620 October 1982Luzhniki disaster, stairway crowd crushMoscow, USSR
611 January 20132013 Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium DisasterAbidjan, Ivory Coast
56–1401 December 20242024 Nzérékoré stampedeNzérékoré, Guinea
5611 May 1985Bradford City stadium fireBradford, England
4317 September 1967Kayseri Atatürk Stadium disaster football stadium hooliganismKayseri, Central Anatolia, Turkey
4311 April 2001Ellis Park Stadium disaster, football match crushJohannesburg, South Africa
4213 January 1991Oppenheimer Stadium disaster, football match crushOrkney, South Africa
3929 May 1985Heysel Stadium disaster football stadium hooliganismBrussels, Belgium
323 October 20142014 Patna stampedePatna, Bihar, India
339 March 1946Burnden Park disasterBolton, England
289 September 19281928 Italian Grand Prix, Emilio Materassi and 27 spectators killed when the driver crashed into a grandstandMonza, Italy
265 April 1902First Ibrox stadium disaster, terracing collapseGlasgow, Scotland
22–2415 November 1982Drunken football fans provoked a stampede at Deportivo Cali vs. América de Cali at Estadio Olímpico Pascual GuerreroCali, Colombia
2229 November 1900Thanksgiving Day Disaster: Spectators on the roof of a glass factory observing the Big Game college football game caused roof to collapse.San Francisco, US
218 February 1981Gate 7 stampede at the old Karaiskakis Stadium after a football game between Olympiacos and AEK AthensPiraeus, Greece
2122 May 2021Gansu ultramarathon disaster, 21 out of 172 runners died in windy and cold weather in a 100k mountain running raceJingtai County, Gansu, China
1929 March 20092009 Houphouët-Boigny stampedeAbidjan, Ivory Coast
1818 November 1981A wall collapsed at the regional stadium in a football match between Deportes Tolima and Deportivo CaliIbague, Colombia
185 May 1992Temporary grand stand collapsed, before French Cup semi-final match SC Bastia and Olympique MarseilleBastia, Corsica, France
1713–14 August 19791979 Fastnet yachting race stormsFastnet Rock, Ireland
1616 August 198016 Football Fans die of Stampede in a Kolkata Derby. Recognized as the Football Lovers' Day.Eden Gardens, Kolkata
1510 September 19611961 Italian Grand Prix: Wolfgang Von Trips and 14 spectators killed when the Formula 1 car flew into the crowdMonza, Italy
1312 May 19571957 Mille Miglia road race: driver Alfonso de Portago, his co-driver/navigator, Ed Nelson and 9 spectators were killed when they ploughed into spectators. Also includes 2 separate deaths earlier in the road raceGuidizzolo, Mantua; Reggio Emilia; Florence
1318 January 19531953 Argentine Grand Prix: F1 driver Nino Farina ploughed into the crowds, killing 13Autódromo Juan y Oscar Gálvez, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1314 September 20082008 Congo football riots: DRC football league second division of Socozaki vs. Nyuki System at Matokeo stadiumButembo, North Kivu, DR Congo
1331 August 1952Grenzlandring, 13 killed and 42 injured including the racing driver when his car plunged into spectatorsWegberg, Mönchengladbach, West Germany
1220 May 2023San Salvador crowd crush: 12 killed in a crowd crush during a football matchEstadio Cuscatlán stadium, San Salvador, El Salvador
122 March 1969Yellow River Dragstrip, a dragster crashed through a chain-link fence into spectators, killing 11. 12th person died later in hospital.Covington, Georgia, US
128 August 1903Baker Bowl bleachers collapsePhiladelphia, US
1116 September 1911Auto race at New York State Fairgrounds, when a car went through a rail fence into the crowdSyracuse, New York, US
1116 September 20112011 Reno Air Races crash, 11 killed including pilot Jimmy Leeward who crashed into grandstand VIP boothsReno Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada, US
114 June 20252025 Bengaluru crowd crush, a crowd crush occurred at a cricket match, killing 11.Bengaluru, India.

Transportation

Aviation

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
58327 March 1977Tenerife airport disasterTenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
52012 August 1985Japan Air Lines Flight 123Ueno, Japan
34912 November 1996Charkhi Dadri mid-air collisionCharkhi Dadri, Haryana, India
3463 March 1974Turkish Airlines Flight 981Fontaine-Chaalis, France
30119 August 1980Saudia Flight 163Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
29817 July 2014Malaysia Airlines Flight 17Hrabove, Ukraine
2903 July 1988Iran Air Flight 655Bandar Abbas, Iran
27519 February 20032003 Iran Ilyushin Il-76 crashKerman, Iran
27325 May 1979American Airlines Flight 191Des Plaines, Illinois, United States
27021 December 1988Pan Am Flight 103Lockerbie, United Kingdom
2691 September 1983Korean Air Lines Flight 007Sea of Japan, near Moneron Island, Russian SFSR, USSR
26512 November 2001American Airlines Flight 587Belle Harbor, New York City, New York, U.S.
26426 April 1994China Airlines Flight 140Komaki, Japan
26111 July 1991Nigeria Airways Flight 2120Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
26012 June 2025Air India Flight 171Ahmedabad, India
25711 April 2018Algerian Air Force (7T-WIV)Boufarik, Algeria
25728 November 1979Air New Zealand Flight 901Mount Erebus, Antarctica
25612 December 1985Arrow Air Flight 1285RGander, Newfoundland, Canada
251January 8 1996Air Africa (RA-26222)Kinshasa, Zaire
2398 March 2014Malaysia Airlines Flight 370Indian Ocean
23426 September 1997Garuda Indonesia Flight 152near Medan, Indonesia
23017 July 1996Trans World Airlines Flight 800Atlantic Ocean, off East Moriches, New York, U.S.
2292 September 1998Swissair Flight 111Atlantic Ocean, off Peggys Cove, N.S., Canada
2296 August 1997Korean Air Flight 801Asan-Maina, Guam, U.S.
2281 June 2009Air France Flight 447Atlantic Ocean, area of Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago
22525 May 2002China Airlines Flight 611Taiwan Strait, near Penghu Islands, Taiwan
22431 October 2015Metrojet Flight 9268near Hasna, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt
22325 May 1991Lauda Air Flight 004Phu Toei National Park, Thailand
21731 October 1999EgyptAir Flight 990Atlantic Ocean, area of Nantucket, Massachusetts, U.S.
2131 January 1978Air India Flight 855Arabian Sea, off Mumbai, India
20216 February 1998China Airlines Flight 676Dayuan District, Taiwan
20010 July 1985Aeroflot Flight 5143near Uchkuduk, Uzbek SSR, USSR

Cable cars

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
15511 November 2000Kaprun disasterKaprun, Austria
429 March 19761976 Cavalese cable car crashCavalese, Italy
203 February 19981998 Cavalese cable car crashCavalese, Italy
201 July 1999Saint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy cable car crashSaint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy, France
191 June 1990Tbilisi cable car crashTbilisi, Georgia
163 September 2025Ascensor da Glória derailmentLisbon, Portugal
143 October 1999Maling River Gorge cable car crashXingyi, Guizhou, China
1423 May 2021Stresa–Mottarone cable car crashMottarone, Italy
1312 July 1972Bettmeralp cable car crashBettmeralp, Switzerland
1229 June 2017Charra Pani cable car crashCharra Pani, Galyat, Pakistan
1113 February 1983Champoluc cable car crashChampoluc, Italy

Elevators

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
10410 May 1995Vaal Reefs mining disaster: A locomotive crashed through a safety barrier and fell into a mine shaft, hitting an elevator which was carrying 104 workers, and causing it to plunge to the bottom of the shaft.Orkney, South Africa
6231 August 1987A methane gas explosion at the St. Helena gold mine severed the cable of a double-deck elevator, causing it to fall 1.4 kilometers to the bottom of the mine shaft, killing all 52 people on board. 10 others who were not in the elevator were killed in the explosion.Welkom, South Africa
3127 March 1980A descending elevator became stuck in the Vaal Reefs mine shaft and then fell to the bottom of the shaft when it abruptly became unstuck, killing all 31 miners on board.Orkney, South Africa
1913 September 2012An elevator fell about 100 meters at a construction site, killing everyone on board.Wuhan, China
1910 October 1932A mine-shaft elevator carrying 20 people fell at the Bickershaw Colliery, killing all but one person.Leigh, England
1830 July 1973A mine-shaft elevator fell at the Markham Colliery.Chesterfield, England
1610 September 1918Protection Island mining disaster: A mine-shaft elevator cable snapped causing the elevator to plunge to the bottom of the mine.Protection Island near Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
1327 November 2023A mine elevator fell 200m in the Impala Platinum mine shaft accident.Rustenburg, South Africa
1230 October 2008An elevator plunged to the ground at a construction site.Xiapu County, China
122 June 1993An elevator plunged to the ground from the 20th floor at a construction site.North Point, Hong Kong
1125 April 2019An elevator fell at a construction site due to a snapped cable.Hengshui, China
1129 July 2011A mine-shaft elevator fell at the Bazhanov coal mine.Makiivka, Ukraine
1027 March 1964A steel cable hit a mine-shaft elevator at the Sachsen coal mine, killing 10 workers, including 5 Turkish nationals.Heeßen, West Germany
106 September 2014An elevator plunged 32 stories at a construction site.Istanbul, Turkey

Peacetime maritime

DeathsDateIncident
4,386+20 December 1987 collided with the oil tanker MT Vector. Casualty estimates vary because thousands of passengers were not listed on the manifest.
3,000–4,000SS Kiangya sank due to unidentified explosion, possibly a naval mine. Casualties estimated between 3,000 to 4,000
1,86326 September 2002 capsized off the coast of The Gambia on 26 September 2002, with 1,863 deaths and 64 survivors. The majority of passengers were Senegalese, including 854 to 923 Senegalese-French nationals on board.
~1,60014 December 1991MV Salem Express struck a reef and sank within 10–20 minutes at midnight between 14–15 December, while on a voyage from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Safaga, Egypt, with at least 644 passengers. The majority of passengers were Moroccan-French. Most were returning from pilgrimage to Mecca. The official death toll was 470, though some evidence suggests that the ship was overcrowded and the true death toll may have been much greater, likely more than 1,600.
1,54727 April 1865Sultana
~1,50015 April 1912
6 February 1822Tek Sing
1,50027 January 1949Taiping
~1,50016 February, 1993Ferry Neptune
1,15926 September 1954Tōya Maru
1,02429 May 1914
1,02115 June 1904
1,0123 February 2006MS al-Salam Boccaccio 98,
1,00022 September 1912SS Kiche Maru
1,00022 April 1916SS Hsin-Yu
90016 September 1927Wusung
900HMS Victory
89421 May 1996
85228 September 1994
84424 July 1915
83221 June 2008, capsized by Typhoon Fengshen
82915 February 1760HMS Ramillies
82622 September 1857Lefort
800+29 August 1782
7468 November 1888, lost in cyclonic storm
74112 December 1939
7376 May 1902
73626 November 1914
73124 December 1811
7021 January 1738Leusden
67317 March 1800HMS Queen Charlotte
3 September 1878 and SS Bywell Castle
6442 September 1819San Telmo
62728 June 1904
62517 July 1947
60829 October 1955Novorossiysk
600+24 December 1811List of vessels lost on the Haak Sand on 24 December 1811
600+3 September 1691
600
60025 May 19861986 Bangladesh MV Shamia ferry incident
58324 December 1811HMS Defence
58027 January 1981Tampomas II, an Indonesian passenger ship, caught fire and sank in Java Sea
5759 January 1920
57022 December 1810
5654 July 1898
56417 March 1891
5585 March 1916SS Principe de Asturias
55029 June 2000Cahaya Bahari
5461 April 1873
53318 September 1890Ertuğrul
5308 July 2003MV Nasrin-1
52015 May 1932MS Georges Philippar
52014 April 1749HMS Namur
500HMS Ardent
50029 January 1986Atlas Star

Rail

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
900–1,70026 December 2004Sri Lankan tsunami train wreckGalle District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka
800–1,00013 January 1917Ciurea rail disasterIasi County, Romania
675+12 December 1917Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne derailmentSaint-Michel-de-Maurienne, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
600+24 January 1944Vereshchyovka train disasterOryol Oblast, Soviet Union
600+22 January 1915Guadalajara train disasterGuadalajara, Mexico
5754 June 1989Ufa train disasterUfa, Soviet Union
5173 March 1944Balvano train disasterBalvano, Basilicata, Italy
42813 January 1985Awash rail disasterAwash, Afar, Ethiopia
383+20 February 2002Al Ayatt train disasterEgypt
37027 December 1944Stará Kremnička derailmentStará Kremnička, Slovakia
3609 July 19811981 Chengdu-Kunming rail crashGanluo County, China
35820 August 1995Firozabad rail disasterFirozabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
33829 April 1997Rongjiawan train disasterRongjiawan, Hunan, China
32018 February 2004Nishapur train disasterIran
3074 January 1990Sukkur rail disasterSangi, Sindh, Pakistan
3007 January 1918Changsha, China
300~21 June 1915Monte MorelasMexico
30022 September 1994Tolunda rail disasterAngola
30029 September 1957Gambar train crashMontgomery, Punjab, Pakistan
2962 June 2023Odisha train collisionBahanaga, Baleshwar, Odisha, India
28928 October 1995Baku Metro fireBaku, Azerbaijan
2852 August 1999Gaisal train disasterGaisal, West Bengal, India
28124 June 2002Igandu train disasterTanzania
27822 December 1939Genthin rail disasterGenthin, Germany
24814 March 1926El Virilla train accidentCosta Rica
2356 June 1981Bihar train derailmentBihar, India
23023 December 1933Lagny-Pomponne Railroad DisasterFrance
22622 May 1915Quintinshill rail crashScotland
21226 November 1998Khanna rail disasterKhanna, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
2084 October 1972Saltillo, CoahuilaMexico
20728 July 1948Ludwigshafen, Germany
20017 March 1982Dong Nai, Vietnam

Road

DeathsDateIncidentLocation
2302 July 2010Sange road tanker explosionSange, South Kivu, DRC
21925 June 2017Bahawalpur explosionBahawalpur, Pakistan
21711 July 1978Los Alfaques disasterTarragona, Spain
20915 October 2024Majiya fuel tanker explosionMajiya, Jigawa State, Nigeria
20715 February 1991Thung Maphrao truck explosionThung Maphrao, Phang Nga, Thailand
20617 September 20152015 Juba tanker explosionJuba, South Sudan
168–3,0003 November 1982Salang Tunnel fireSalang Pass, Hindu Kush, Afghanistan
1545 November 2021Freetown fuel tanker explosionFreetown, Sierra Leone
1256 December 1965Sotouba truck collisionSotouba, Togo
12112 July 2012Okobie road tanker explosionOkobie, Nigeria
11517 November 2016Caphiridzange tanker explosionCaphiridzange, Mozambique
11331 January 2009Molo road tanker fireMolo, Kenya, Kenya
11012 March 1995Tamil Nadu truck collisionSriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India
10418 August 1968Gero bus crashGero, Gifu, Japan
100–2005 November 2000Ibadan road tanker explosionIbadan, Lagos, Nigeria
100+18 January 2025Suleja fuel tanker explosionNear Suleja, Niger State, Nigeria
100+10 August 2019Morogoro fuel tanker explosionMorogoro, Tanzania
9828 March 2007Kagarko truck explosionKagarko, Kaduna, Nigeria
9612 July 1992Machakos bus crashMachakos, Kenya
948 June 1999Karnataka bus crashKarnataka, India
9015 November 1976Mafeteng bus crashMafeteng, Lesotho
9029 June 1980Kashmir bus crashKashmir, India
9024 June 2004Zahedan bus crashZahedan, Iran
90+14 December 2021Cap-Haïtien tanker explosionCap-Haïtien, Haiti
81–1156 January 1967Cavite bus crashCavite, Philippines

Space

DeathsDateIncident
7824 October 1960Nedelin catastrophe, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union – occurred on ground before launch
539 August 19651965 Searcy missile silo fire, near Searcy, Arkansas, U.S. – occurred on ground before launch
4818 March 19801980 Plesetsk launch pad disaster, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Mirny, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Soviet Union – occurred on ground before launch
2122 August 20032003 Alcântara VLS accident, Alcântara, Brazil occurred on ground before launch
728 January 1986Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, crashed over Florida, U.S.
71 February 2003Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, crashed over Texas and Louisiana, U.S.
6–300+15 February 1996Intelsat 708, Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan, China, Launch vehicle veered off course immediately after liftoff and struck a nearby village, officially killing at least six people.
327 January 1967Apollo 1, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Cape Canaveral, FL, U.S. occurred on ground during a "plugs out" test.
330 June 1971Soyuz 11, depressurized in space; only deaths in space as of 2025
124 April 1967Soyuz 1, southeast of Orenburg, Russia
115 November 1967X-15 Flight 191, near Edwards AFB, California, U.S.
131 October 2014VSS Enterprise crash, suborbital, Mojave Desert, California, U.S., other pilot survived

Other

Smog

DeathsDateIncident
12,0005–9 December 1952The Great Smog of London. Delayed fatalities rise from 10,000 to 12,000.
2,2001880Coal smog.
1,000December 19561956 London smog.
780December 18731873 London smog
779December 18921892 London smog
700–800December 19481948 London smog
300–405January–February 19631963 New York City smog
300–400December 19621962 London smog
220–240November 19531953 New York City smog
16823–25 November 1966New York City smog
16012–15 December 1991Smog