Desc: Explosions! Texas City: With Pete Stacker, Roland Castanie, Joyce Couch, Willie-Dee Criss. Two ships loaded with ammonium nitrate cargo caught fire and exploded at the port of Texas City, Texas on April 16 and 17, 1947. It remains the deadliest industrial accident in United States history with over 500 lives lost, including many onlookers and almost all of the town's volunteer fire department.