Emergencies and World Disasters
The Warm Telegraph Key: Halifax's Unforgiven 1917 Blast
25 min•2 augusti 2026
Om avsnittet
The Warm Telegraph Key: Halifax's Unforgiven 1917 Blast
Grim urgency: a telegraph key found warm beneath a dead operator’s hand, and a harbor holding 2,300 tonnes of picric acid, 200 tonnes of TNT, ten tonnes of guncotton and 35 tonnes of benzol - how did ordinary navigational choices turn Halifax into the most dangerous place on earth for a single instant? Who knew the true cargo of the SS Mont-Blanc, and why were no parties ever convicted?
In this episode, you will hear the timeline of the collision in the Narrows on the morning of December 6, 1917, the people on duty at Richmond station and on the tugs and freighters, and the decisions and denied requests that preceded the blast. What signals were exchanged and which warnings were ignored that morning?
Person: Patrick Vincent Coleman
Date: December 6, 1917
Location: Richmond station, Halifax Narrows
Event: Collision between SS Mont-Blanc and SS Imo
Status: No party convicted
- Telegraph operator Patrick Vincent Coleman was 33 years old and stationed roughly 230 metres from Pier 6.
- SS Mont-Blanc carried 2,300 tonnes of picric acid, 200 tonnes of TNT, 10 tonnes of guncotton, and 35 tonnes of benzol on deck.
- The telegraph key at Richmond station went silent at 9:04:35 AM with the brass key still warm under Coleman’s hand.
- The whistle exchange between the two ships lasted less than two minutes before collision in the narrowest section of the channel.
- Francis Mackey, the Mont-Blanc pilot, had formally requested a guard ship the day before; the request was denied.
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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].
Grim urgency: a telegraph key found warm beneath a dead operator’s hand, and a harbor holding 2,300 tonnes of picric acid, 200 tonnes of TNT, ten tonnes of guncotton and 35 tonnes of benzol - how did ordinary navigational choices turn Halifax into the most dangerous place on earth for a single instant? Who knew the true cargo of the SS Mont-Blanc, and why were no parties ever convicted?
In this episode, you will hear the timeline of the collision in the Narrows on the morning of December 6, 1917, the people on duty at Richmond station and on the tugs and freighters, and the decisions and denied requests that preceded the blast. What signals were exchanged and which warnings were ignored that morning?
Person: Patrick Vincent Coleman
Date: December 6, 1917
Location: Richmond station, Halifax Narrows
Event: Collision between SS Mont-Blanc and SS Imo
Status: No party convicted
- Telegraph operator Patrick Vincent Coleman was 33 years old and stationed roughly 230 metres from Pier 6.
- SS Mont-Blanc carried 2,300 tonnes of picric acid, 200 tonnes of TNT, 10 tonnes of guncotton, and 35 tonnes of benzol on deck.
- The telegraph key at Richmond station went silent at 9:04:35 AM with the brass key still warm under Coleman’s hand.
- The whistle exchange between the two ships lasted less than two minutes before collision in the narrowest section of the channel.
- Francis Mackey, the Mont-Blanc pilot, had formally requested a guard ship the day before; the request was denied.
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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