In April, 1947, the S.S. Grandcamp, a cargo ship previously utilized during World War II, docked in Texas City, Texas, to pick up a load of ammonium nitrate fertilizer. At approximately 0800 hrs on April 16, after about 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate had been loaded into the cargo holds, longshoremen detected the smell of smoke near the holds. At 0825 hrs, two fire trucks arrived on scene, followed by the two remaining trucks from the Texas City Volunteer Fire Department (TCVFD). Despite attempts to douse flames and remove cargo, the fire continued to spread, and the heat surrounding the cargo quickly grew to 850 degrees F.

At 0912 hrs, the ammonium nitrate on board the Grandcamp detonated. The blast sent cargo 2,000 to 3,000 feet into the air, created a 15' tidal wave and registered on a seismograph as far away as Denver. All nearby buildings, warehouses and homes were leveled. In all, 581 people were killed, including the TCVFD chief and 27 of the department’s 28 firefighters. More than 5,000 people were injured and 2,000 were left homeless. The cause of the fire and subsequent explosion, according to some reports, was a lit cigarette.