Emergencies and World Disasters
That morning they donated to honor dead women. By noon, twenty-one of them were dead
22 min•21 september 2026
Om avsnittet
That morning they donated to honor dead women. By noon, twenty-one of them were dead
Fear that the very sun could be lethal: one burning signal flare left in sunlight turned a warehouse of 108 women into an inferno that killed 21 by noon. How did a superintendent place several hundred flares on metal pans in full sun, next to open windows and paper cartridges, and never face a single charge?
In this episode, we tell the story of the Washington Arsenal explosion of June 17, 1864, tracing who worked there, what was stored, and how a single flare ignited a chain that destroyed a building and lives. How did routine decisions about drying flares and open windows become a fatal error?
Event: Washington Arsenal explosion
Date: June 17, 1864
Location: "The Island" peninsula between the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers
People: 108 women working that morning; 21 killed by noon
Cause: burning signal flare ignited paper cartridges and a barrel of gunpowder
- 108 women sat at long tables inside the warehouse that morning.
- The women had pooled $170 to donate toward a memorial for the Allegheny Arsenal victims.
- Superintendent Tom Brown ordered several hundred signal flares laid out on metal pans to dry in the sun.
- The flare mixture included potassium chloride, strontium nitrate, and carbon and was designed to ignite.
- By noon a single flare rolled through an open window, ignited cartridges and gunpowder, and blew the roof off the building.
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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
Fear that the very sun could be lethal: one burning signal flare left in sunlight turned a warehouse of 108 women into an inferno that killed 21 by noon. How did a superintendent place several hundred flares on metal pans in full sun, next to open windows and paper cartridges, and never face a single charge?
In this episode, we tell the story of the Washington Arsenal explosion of June 17, 1864, tracing who worked there, what was stored, and how a single flare ignited a chain that destroyed a building and lives. How did routine decisions about drying flares and open windows become a fatal error?
Event: Washington Arsenal explosion
Date: June 17, 1864
Location: "The Island" peninsula between the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers
People: 108 women working that morning; 21 killed by noon
Cause: burning signal flare ignited paper cartridges and a barrel of gunpowder
- 108 women sat at long tables inside the warehouse that morning.
- The women had pooled $170 to donate toward a memorial for the Allegheny Arsenal victims.
- Superintendent Tom Brown ordered several hundred signal flares laid out on metal pans to dry in the sun.
- The flare mixture included potassium chloride, strontium nitrate, and carbon and was designed to ignite.
- By noon a single flare rolled through an open window, ignited cartridges and gunpowder, and blew the roof off the building.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
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