Lives of the First World War

The chain of events that began on 6 December 1917 when SS Imo and SS Mont Blanc collided in Halifax Harbour led to a catastrophic loss of life and life-changing injuries on one day from this one incident. The collision ignited Mont Blanc's deadly cargo of munitions. Around half an hour later, the Mont Blanc exploded, showering a wide area with fire and metal. The force of the explosion shattered windows in Halifax, and caused buildings to collapse and/or catch fire. The explosion triggered a huge tsunami. Victims came from all walks of life and were all ages. There are many acts of heroism and there is much to grieve for. In all, some 2,000 people were killed and around 9,000 were injured, many with serious lacerations and eye injuries caused by the deadly shards of glass. Thousands were left homeless amid the heavy snowfall that followed.

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