Silvertown explosion
On 19 January 1917, at 6:52 p.m., a huge explosion hit Silvertown in London. The blast came from a TNT purification plant at a munitions factory run by Brunner Mond. About 50 tonnes of TNT exploded, destroying the plant and much of the surrounding area. 73 people were killed and more than 400 were injured. Up to 70,000 properties were damaged and about 900 nearby buildings were destroyed or badly damaged.
The factory had been built in 1893 to produce soda and caustic soda. During World War I, surplus capacity was used to purify TNT, a dangerous process done in a crowded area. The explosion began with a fire in the melt-pot room, and TNT ignited despite efforts to fight the fire. Debris spread for miles, and a gas holder on the Greenwich Peninsula created a large fireball. Windows were blown out as far as central London, including the Savoy Hotel.
Rescuers and volunteers helped the wounded and the homeless. First-aid stations opened in the streets; a Salvation Army team and the YMCA provided aid. By February 1917, about 1,700 workers were employed to rebuild, and millions of pounds in aid were paid to those affected.
Investigations blamed unsafe storage and the risky TNT process, and noted that the site was not suitable for TNT production. A memorial was later placed at the site. The Silvertown explosion was one of several munitions disasters in Britain during the war, including the 1918 Chilwell explosion.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:22 (CET).