Great Disasters
Whether natural or man-made, disasters attract a strange mixture of horror and fascination. However, the spectacle of devastation is only ever one part of the story. Take a closer look, and you will find tales of extraordinary human endurance and heroism, stories that veer from the horrific to the oddly humorous, and lessons that can be learned to make our world safer. From the Titanic to the Costa Concordia, the Station nightclub fire to the Pulse nightclub shooting, these extraordinary events – and the people involved – are examined on the Great Disasters podcast, written, researched, recorded and produced by me, Kari Fay. From official reports, first-person accounts, and contemporary media, I delve into the often-appalling details of these events to bring you the full story.
Episodes
How much tragedy can a single year bring? From the Hunga Tonga volcano to the Buffalo snow storm, let's take a look at the disasters which shaped the year 2022.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
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The story of 33 men trapped deep within a Chilean mine gripped not only their nation, but the whole world. This episode of Great Disasters draws on contemporary reporting and the survivors' accounts to tell a fascinating story of hope and survival against the odds.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
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In this episode of Great Disasters, I'll be looking at the shipwreck of a migrant boat off the coast of Lampedusa in 2013.
The beautiful Italian island of Lampedusa is accustomed to the arrival of migrant boats, and the frequent need to rescue their occupants, since it's the closest European land to the coast of Libya. However, this incident was on an unprecedented scale.
Drawing on contemporary reportin...
A look back over the disasters and tragedies which shaped 2021, from COVID-19 to the Surfside Condo Collapse, the La Palma Volcano, and more.
(Apologies if my narration isn't as precise as usual - I am in the middle of some significant dental work.)
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
Check out the Great Disasters Podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram - let me know ...
It was one of the most shocking events of modern times; an attack on an a scale previously unimaginable, and a day that should never be forgotten.
Using contemporary accounts, the stories of witnesses and survivors, and the words of the victims, I'll tell the story of 9/11.
This is a series in six parts. This episode looks at aspects of events in New York, not covered in the previous episodes.
V...
It was one of the most shocking events of modern times; an attack on an a scale previously unimaginable, and a day that should never be forgotten.
Using contemporary accounts, the stories of witnesses and survivors, and the words of the victims, I'll tell the story of 9/11.
This is a series in six parts. This episode looks specifically at the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 175, and events at the South To...
It was one of the most shocking events of modern times; an attack on an a scale previously unimaginable, and a day that should never be forgotten.
Using contemporary accounts, the stories of witnesses and survivors, and the words of the victims, I'll tell the story of 9/11.
This is a series in six parts. This episode gives an overview of the events of 9/11.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for th...
It was one of the most shocking events of modern times; an attack on an a scale previously unimaginable, and a day that should never be forgotten.
Using contemporary accounts, the stories of witnesses and survivors, and the words of the victims, I'll tell the story of 9/11.
This is a series in six parts. This episode looks at the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93, and the brave actions of the passengers ...
It was one of the most shocking events of modern times; an attack on an a scale previously unimaginable, and a day that should never be forgotten.
Using contemporary accounts, the stories of witnesses and survivors, and the words of the victims, I'll tell the story of 9/11.
This is a series in six parts. This episode looks specifically at the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11, and events at the North T...
It was one of the most shocking events of modern times; an attack on an a scale previously unimaginable, and a day that should never be forgotten.
Using contemporary accounts, the stories of witnesses and survivors, and the words of the victims, I'll tell the story of 9/11.
This is a series in six parts. This episode looks at the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 77 and events at The Pentagon in Washingto...
The submarine sank in relatively sheltered waters, just fourteen miles from shore. Although her front end was on the sea bed, her rear end was lifted several feet out of the water. Surely rescue for the 103 men on board would be quite simple?
Drawing from contemporary accounts and modern research, I'll tell the harrowing story of the HMS Thetis.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more...
A commercial airliner drops from the sky over Africa without a single word; what happened, and how could it have prevented further tragedy?
Drawing from official reports and contemporary reporting, I'll tell the story of LAM Mozambique Flight 470
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
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It started as a lovely, mild winter's day - but it turned deadly, and those most at risk were the children.
Drawing from contemporary newspaper accounts, modern research and more, I'll tell the story of the Schoolhouse Blizzard.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
Check out the Great Disasters Podcast on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram - let me know what you th...
It burned around 1.5 million acres, killed over a thousand people, and ranks as the deadliest wildfire in history. Yet it is largely forgotten, because it happened the same night as the Great Fire of Chicago.
Drawing from the tales of survivors, contemporary newspaper accounts and more, I'll tell the story of the Peshtigo Fire.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
Check ou...
It was the age of airships - gigantic silver balloons which floated almost silently across the sky - but Britain's dreams of an Imperial airship fleet were about to be tragically dashed.
Drawing from contemporary reporting, eyewitness accounts, official reports and more, I'll tell the story of the R101.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
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It should have been a fun evening of music and dancing - but it abruptly turned into a gruesome scene of tragedy.
Drawing from contemporary reporting, eyewitness accounts, and official reports, I'll tell the story of the Hyatt Regency Skywalk Collapse.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
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An incident in an elevator led to an outpouring of hatred, gunfire and flame. It was America's worst single incident of racial violence, yet for decades many had never even heard of it.
Drawing from contemporary reporting, eyewitness accounts, and modern research, I'll tell the story of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
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A crowded ferry set sail from Zeebrugge on a cold March evening - but just outside the harbour walls, tragedy struck, and a straightforward crossing turned into a fight to survive.
Drawing from contemporary coverage, official reports and eyewitness accounts, I'll tell the story of the Herald of Free Enterprise.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
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After a church outing to an amusement park, an old yellow school bus full of sleepy kids made its way home along the interstate. At the same time, a pickup truck was driving the other way - in the same lane.
Drawing from contemporary coverage, official reports and eyewitness accounts, I'll tell the story of the Carrollton Bus Crash.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript and more.
Ch...
A wave of black, sticky molasses engulfs a Boston neighbourhood, wreaking a sweet-tasting but deadly kind of havoc. It's one of history's more unusual disasters, but that doesn't mean it should be treated lightly.
Drawing from both modern and contemporary reports and eyewitness accounts, I'll tell the story of the Boston Molasses Flood.
Visit www.greatdisasters.co.uk for the full transcript an...
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