Shattered City

This chronicle of the 1917 Halifax Explosion presents a vivid account of the historic tragedy and the relief and rebuilding efforts that followed. On December 6th, 1917, the French cargo ship SS Mont-Blanc collided with the Norwegian vessel SS Imo in the Narrows that lead into Halifax Harbor. The Mont-Blanc was carrying a shipment of explosives from New York, ultimately bound for Bordeaux, France. A fire onboard ignited the cargo, causing a blast that obliterated everything within a half-mile radius. The Richmond district of Halifax was destroyed. A tsunami created by the blast washed the Imo ashore and wiped out a Mi’kmaq community. Shattered City is the most comprehensive book on the Halifax Explosion, detailing the event, the aftermath, and the restoration. It encompasses dozens of previously unpublished stories, photographs, and documents, along with some thought-provoking coverage of the inquiry into the disaster.