What is the first major disaster you remember

[Shmoigel]

The first one I clearly remember was the King’s Cross fire in 87 and Lockerbie in 88

Tell me yours

Ah, well a lot of oil on beaches was due to ships being allowed to flush their tanks out at sea. Which has been banned now, happily.

Very vague memory of the san Francisco Bridge in earthquake, kings cross fire yes

Zeebrugge, Lockerbie and Hillsborough for me. I was of an age where I was starting to read newspapers. I clearly remember the reporting on the disappearances and murders of Caroline Hogg and Susan Maxwell although I was surprised to see that was earlier 83/84. I think I remember because I probably heard adults talking about it. I imagine there would be a fair amount of fear and distress.

Oh yes zebrugge

Lockerbie, Piper Alpha and Kings Cross for me.

Chernoble,
Lockerbie
Hillsborough

Growing up in Ireland in 1980s, there was bombings/Northern Ireland news every night, it was relentless. I used to tune out or turn the chanel over.. We were in Southern Ireland and it felt like a different world, you couldn't keep watching it. The Omagh bombing was particularly sad.

We were afraid to go to the North.

Chernobyl vaguely then Lockerbie. 2 girls who'd been at my school, one had only left the year before died in it so we had a special assembly. I remember the 6th formers crying.

The Paris terrorist attack in 2015 when I was 15 was probably one of the first major things that stuck in my mind, followed by the Grenfell fire and Manchester arena bombings a couple of years later when I was 17.

The Torrey Canyon oil tanker for me. Also a Tube crash at Moorgate when the train crashed through barriers.

Summerland fire on Isle of Man - August 1973. Terrible tragedy that could have been avoided.
I was staying in my Aunties caravan in North Wales, and she’d told me that the IoM was over the sea, but not far away. I was very upset at it all and kept looking out to sea for the fire. I was 8.
Birmingham pub bombings.

Herald of free enterprise capsizing in 1987.

Princess Di - i was 3 and i remeber seeing it on the news. Then 9/11 - i was 6ish - Boxing day tsunami - 10, 7/7 bombings... 12

Bhopal I think in 1984 - there must be others from when I was younger.

There were some January storms. Trees down in the road, most houses with slates off, chimney pit blown off and went through my friends glass back door. Early seventies I think.

Before that I remember the power cuts caused by miner's strike in 72 ish?

Aberfan for me too. It's still one of the worst things that's happened in my lifetime. Those poor children, and the knowlege that if it had been an hour earlier or a day later the school would have been empty.

I do remember the Ethiopian famine too. The news footage was horrific.

I would say the one that affected me the most was 9/11 as I had been at the top of the building 10 weeks earlier.

I remember the Chernobyl happening and travelling on holiday to north wales where they were moving livestock due to the fact that clouds had travelled with radioactive matter

Same.

Princess Diana's death.

9/11 when I was eight. The first big news stories I remember are Holly and Jessica, and Sarah Payne.

I hadn’t even heard of Aberfan until watching The Crown a few years ago and seeing it dramatised on there. Horrific :(

Aberfan for me too. It affected me quite badly, despite only being four. After that Biafra (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigerian_Civil_War)

Aberfan, I was 6 at the time. 😢

Anyone who hasn't heard of Aberfan, May I suggest you find out about it now?

And how appalling the NCB was, both in the culpability and in the aftermath.

I think it is a part of British history that should never be forgotten.