RAF Fauld explosion
| RAF Fauld explosion | |
|---|---|
| Staffordshire, England, UK | |
An aerial view of the crater and damage to the surrounding area caused by the explosion, taken by the RAF on 4 December 1944 | |
| Location | |
RAF Fauld explosion Location in Staffordshire | |
| Coordinates | 52°50′50″N 01°43′50″W / 52.84722°N 1.73056°W |
The RAF Fauld explosion occurred during the Second World War at the RAF Fauld underground munitions storage depot in Staffordshire, England at 11:11 am on Monday, 27 November 1944. The blast, which was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history and the largest on UK soil detonated between 3,500 and 4,000 tonnes (3,900 and 4,400 tons) of high explosive military ordnance. It created an explosion crater with a depth of 100 feet (30 m) and a maximum width of 1,007 feet (307 m).
A reservoir containing 450,000 cubic metres (16,000,000 cu ft) of water was obliterated, along with nearby buildings and an entire farm. Flooding from the reservoir added to the destruction.
A combination of the power of the explosion and wartime censorship in the UK means that the exact death toll is uncertain; it is believed that about 70 people died in the explosion and resulting flood. The crater, which is now known as the Hanbury Crater, is still visible just south of Fauld, to the east of Hanbury, Staffordshire.