This Day in History

Tue, 20 Nov 2018

Oil Rig Accidentally Drains Lake Peigneur (1980)

When Leonce Viator, Jr., set out in his boat for a day of fishing on Louisiana's Lake Peigneur, he never imagined he would end up fighting for his life. But that is exactly what happened after an oil rig on the lake's surface accidentally bored through the roof of a salt mine beneath it. Like a bathtub whose plug has been pulled, the lake began draining into the mine, creating a whirlpool that sucked in not just water but barges, trees, and acres of surrounding land. What happened to Viator? Discuss

Mon, 19 Nov 2018

Oil Spill (2002)

On Nov. 13, 2002, the Prestige oil tanker suffered damage in a storm and began leaking oil. Denied entry to ports in Spain, France, and Portugal, the stricken vessel was kept at sea for nearly a week before it broke apart and sank about 150 mi (250 km) from the Spanish coast. The resulting oil spill, the worst environmental disaster in Spain's history, fouled much of the Galician coastline as well as parts of the French coast. How did this spill compare to that of the Exxon Valdez?

Sun, 18 Nov 2018

The King's Cross Fire (1987)

Toward the end of the evening rush hour on November 18, 1987, a fire broke out beneath an escalator at King's Cross station in central London. The busy train station was still crowded with commuters, and while many escaped the resulting blaze, 31 fell victim. More than 60 others suffered injuries ranging from smoke inhalation to severe burns. It is believed that a discarded match likely sparked the conflagration. For how many years did the identity of one of the fire's victims remain a mystery?