Show Notes
For years, the hook holding up the power lines at transmission tower 27/222 in northern California had been wearing down bit by bit. On November 8th, 2018, the hook finally broke, and the resulting series of events led to the deadliest wildfire in California in a century. Videos: Netflix: Fire in Paradise
Frontline: Fire in Paradise
Camp Fire: One Year Later
The Deadliest Fire in California History
Drone fire of Camp Fire devastation in Butte County
Trump confused over fire-hit town Paradise: 'Pleasure, what a name'
Articles and books: Fire in Paradise: An American Tragedy, by Alastair Gee and Dani Anguaino
Trump refused to give California wildfire aid until told how many people there voted for him, ex-aide says
Trump's Misleading Claims About California's Fire 'Mismanagement'
ABC10 Investigation: PG&E knew old power line parts had 'severe wear' months before deadly Camp Fire
Trump blames forest management again on California fires visit
The Camp Fire public report
'Hell on Earth': The First 12 Hours of California's Deadliest Wildfire
More from Disaster Area
It might have felt like just a bad day at work - cracks in the walls, the merchandise shaking on the shelves, the air conditioning needing to be turned off. But the Sampoong department store wasn't just falling apart metaphorically. It was quite literally taking all day to fail.
In 6th century Constantinople, Emperor Justinian would lead the Byzantine empire into conquering other lands, constructing impressive architecture, and instituting a new legal code that still influences nations today. But before a lot of that was done, Justinian faced the wrath of his subjects, with their rage coming to a head at one of the unlikeliest of places - a chariot race.
We all know what a good strong summer thunderstorm looks like, and we know just how much rain one of them can douse us in. But on a warm Friday night in 1972, the eastern foothills of the Black Hills -- and in particular the town of Rapid City, South Dakota -- were struck by storms which broke dams, overflowed creek beds, and killed hundreds. Videos:
It was a beautiful Monday morning in San Diego on September 25, 1978 - sunny and hot with not a cloud in the sky. There was no reason whatsoever to think the day would be ruined by anything, but especially not by two planes colliding over a horrified suburb.
When we think of deadly peacetime maritime disasters, Titanic is the first ship to come to mind. But there is a far deadlier disaster which holds the record for the worst in terms of loss of life ... when a loaded oil tanker and a packed ferry collided in the Philippines one moonless night just before Christmas in 1987.