Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion & the Road to Recovery

This chronicle of the 1917 Halifax Explosion presents a vivid account of the historic tragedy and the relief and rebuilding efforts that followed.

On December 6th, 1917, the French cargo ship SS Mont-Blanc collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows that lead into Halifax Harbor.

The Mont-Blanc was carrying a shipment of explosives from New York, ultimately bound for Bordeaux, France.

A fire onboard ignited the cargo, causing a blast that obliterated everything within a half-mile radius.

The Richmond district of Halifax was destroyed.

A tsunami created by the blast washed the Imo ashore and wiped out a Mi’kmaq community.