In this article, we take a look at the 15 worst industrial disasters in the world. If you want to, you can skip our detailed robotics industry analysis and go directly to our shorter list of the 5 worst industrial disasters in the world.
Industrial disasters are accidents that occur in industrial companies due to failure, negligence, or incompetence in handling chemical, mechanical, civil, electrical, or other processes. Since an industrial disaster involves dangerous chemicals and hazardous substances, it is a significant threat not just to humans, but also to the natural and infrastructural environment.
Today, the industrial sector takes up a large portion of the world economy, making up 17.9% of the GDP of the United States, which is the largest economy in the world as of 2024. Over the decades, the industrial sector has maintained its position in the world economy. A detailed analysis of this conducted by the Industrial Analytics Platform further emphasizes the close link between industrial activities, economic growth, and sustainable development, and how industrial development will take a whole new level in the years to come.
Given the importance of the industrial sector, it is also important to note that if the balance is tipped, there can be a significant impact on the world economy. Throughout history, we’ve seen multiple times how industrial disasters trigger huge economic losses and destabilize sustainable growth.
Disasters by Industry
Industrial disasters concern not just the manufacturing industries, but others as well. In 2022, the chemical industry’s total revenue, on a global level, stood at around USD 5.72 trillion, reaching the highest value in the last 15 years. The chemical industry is growing at an exponential rate, but a minor negligence or failure involving chemicals like in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy can lead to a catastrophe.
Similar to the chemical industry, the nuclear industry, which is responsible for generating 10% of the world’s electricity according to the World Nuclear Association, is also prone to disasters. For instance, in 2011, the Fukushima disaster in Japan was an eye-opener for many countries with nuclear energy plants. It dealt a heavy blow to Japan’s economy, with its share of nuclear energy dropping from 29.2% in 2010-11 to 2.1% in 2012.
Fortunately, the industrial sector continues to learn from past disasters and implement more safety precautions to safeguard the future. As world technology progresses, industrial workplace safety is enhanced and the risk of disasters is also minimized. One of the most effective solutions has been the incorporation of robotics technology as it can perform repetitive tasks faster and with much higher accuracy and precision than human workers.
For the same reason, using robots and automating industrial manufacturing has been a growing trend in recent years. In 2023, there were around 4.09 million units of service robotics and 450 thousand units of industrial robots worldwide. (See: 15 Biggest Robotics Companies in the World). While human workers are still needed in industrial manufacturing, robots and machines can be used to handle hazardous chemicals and dangerous tasks to minimize industrial disasters.
Outlook: 10 Years From Now
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, economic growth has mainly come at the expense of the environment. While economies, populations, and resource demands grow continuously, the availability of resources remains the same, therefore urging industrial companies to adopt strategies in the modern world to uplift economies without exhausting natural resources.
From human-centered processes to machine-reliant assembly lines to highly automated factories, industrial companies are adapting to new trends and transforming their methods. Some of the main reasons for adapting to new trends are to minimize the risk of disasters, improve efficiency, lower costs, and reduce material wastage.
Some industrial companies are already incorporating Industry 4.0 in their manufacturing processes. For instance, HIROTEC Corporation, a major automotive supplier, uses the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for operational intelligence and predicting maintenance in its manufacturing machines and assets.
Some of the key players in the manufacturing companies are Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE: TM), Samsung Electronics (KSE: 005930), and BASF SE (ETR: BAS). All these industrial companies are well-aligned with Industry 4.0 and use it in their process management. In fact, in 2017, Apple partnered with GE to bring iOS into Industry 4. In 2023, Apple took more initiatives including the first Smart Manufacturing Forum for SMBs in South Korea, to showcase its serious involvement in the fourth industrial revolution.
Over the years, Apple has invested millions of dollars in automation technology, and it is not the only one. Today, all industrial companies are prioritizing technology and development to reduce the risk of disasters and become the key players in their sector. At the same time, they acknowledge that automation technology cannot replace the skill of human workers— even Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) did, in their conversation with The Information.
So, with the risk of industrial disasters still there, it’s important to keep looking at the history, learning from it, and working to ensure better safety of the sector.
Here, we have compiled a list of the 15 worst industrial disasters in the world.
15 Worst Industrial Disasters
Our Methodology
For our list of the worst industrial disasters in the world, we analyzed a list of notable industrial disasters in the world and shortlisted the ones that incurred the most damage to human life and/or the economy. We ranked disasters based on the number of deaths caused by the disaster, going from the least to the highest. We’ve also discussed financial and industrial losses caused by each disaster.
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Here are the 15 worst industrial disasters in the world.
15 Worst Industrial Disasters in the World
15. The Buncefield Explosion (2005)
Number of deaths: 0
The Buncefield Explosion of 2005 is the only industrial disaster on this list where there were 0 fatalities. Still, many people were injured. This disaster took place in Hemel Hempstead in Hertfordshire, near the M1 motorway.
The Buncefield explosion started in an oil storage facility due to three hundred tonnes of fuel leaking. Not only was the facility set ablaze, but the fire stayed burning for five days.
The aftermath included a hefty cleanup, destroyed properties, and around £1 billion in damage. Total UK, Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd, and the British Pipeline Agency (BPA) were all fined after this disaster.
14. Seveso Disaster (1976)
Number of deaths: 73,000 (farm animals)
On 10 July 1976, a chemical reactor exploded in the ICMESA plant located near Seveso, Italy. The disaster killed 3,000 farm animals immediately and left people with terrible health disorders. The explosion caused dioxins to leak into the area.
While no human lives were lost as a result of the explosion, over 70,000 animals were euthanized to make sure no one would get harmed by the chemicals. To this day, the Seveso area is off-limits for any development.
In the aftermath of this disaster, Seveso experienced financial consequences due to environmental damage, decreased property value, livestock loss, and agricultural loss. Healthcare costs also increased because of skin diseases caused by chemicals.
13. The Deepwater Horizon Explosion (2010)
Number of deaths: 11
The Deepwater Horizon Explosion of 2010 is known as one of the most significant oil spills and one of the worst industrial disasters in history. As a result of this disaster, 11 people lost their lives and 17 got severely injured.
The Deepwater Horizon rig is owned by BP PLC (NYSE: BP), a leading oil company. According to a report published by BP, the explosion was a result of many causes— all of which contributed to a wellhead explosion, the release of natural gas, and its eventual ignition at the rig. After the explosion, 1000 barrels of oil leaked into the ocean daily for 85.5 days.
BP had to pay compensation of $20 million to the victims and families of those who lost their loved ones. A lot of damage was caused by this explosion, including thousands of marine animals dying. This explosion also left many people unemployed due to the lack of tourism in the petroleum-laden areas.
12. The Texas City Refinery Explosion (2005)
Number of deaths: 15
Another tragic chemical explosion, the Texas city refinery disaster, was the result of a vapor cloud of chemicals catching on fire. One hundred eighty workers were heavily injured, and 15 lost their lives. This took place at a BP refinery in Texas when a vapor cloud exploded in its isomerization process unit.
BP PLC (NYSE: BP) was sued for an environmental crime and charged a $50 million fine. BP PLC (NYSE: BP) also had to pay around $1.6 billion to compensate the victims. These continued until 2009 when OSHA charged BP a whopping $87 million fine.
11. Phillips Disaster (1989)
Number of deaths: 23
The deadly Phillips Disaster took place in 1989 when high-flammable gasses caused multiple explosions at the Phillips Petroleum Company (NYSE: PSX). Twenty-three people were killed and 314 were injured. The fire lasted for 10 hours, damaging water pipes and making it harder to put out.
There was a loss of $715.5 million since the explosion damaged all of the facilities within the vicinity. The company also faced a $700 million disruption loss.
10. Chernobyl (1986)
Number of deaths: 50+
The Chernobyl disaster of 1986 is one of the most known industrial disasters and even inspired a $40 million show by HBO. The miniseries depicted the atrocities of the disaster and helped create awareness regarding industrial disasters. It is available to watch on Apple TV+ (NASDAQ: AAPL) as well. The disaster took 50 lives and has left the entire area radioactive and inhabitable to this day. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone will be habitable again in 20,000 years.
In April 1986, an explosion occurred at a Chernobyl nuclear plant. Perhaps the worst nuclear disaster to ever exist, over $68 billion was spent to help with migration. Chernobyl is still radioactive, although some residents have returned to their homes.
There was a direct loss of $12.6 billion on the economic side. Around 784,320 hectares of land were destroyed, and food production in the area was banned. The disaster also caused significant electrical loss in places like Ukraine.
9. Xiangshui Chemical Plant Explosion (2019)
Number of deaths: 78
The Xiangshui chemical plant produced chemicals such as pesticides and other organic compounds and has since shut down. Like the other disasters mentioned on this list, the plant ignored waste management and safety regulations warnings. Not only did they choose to ignore them, but there had also been previous fires at this plant.
In March 2019, an explosion took place, killing 78 people and destroying buildings nearby. The Xiangshui chemical plant was shut down soon after, and the district faces a property loss of around $100 million. There was also an economic loss of about $284.3 million.
8. Centralia Mine Disaster (1947)
Number of deaths: 110+
The Centralia Mine Disaster is known as the second-worst mining disaster in the US, killing over 100 people. It took place in Centralia, Pennsylvania on 25 March 1947. The disaster started off with the electricity being cut off and thick black smoke surging through the mines. This then led to a large accumulation of smoke and a deadly explosion.
Poor safety regulations and coal dust caused this tragic explosion. Out of 142 men, only 31 managed to escape. The mine had received previous warnings about the coal dust that was collecting, but they chose to ignore it.
Some economic consequences faced after this disaster were compensation for victims, recovery investments, and safety regulations. According to a report by the UN, there was a temporary decline in coal production after the disaster.
7. The Beirut Explosion (2020)
Number of deaths: 200+
The Beirut explosion is one of the most recent industrial disasters caused by an ammonium nitrate explosion in the capital of Lebanon. There were more than 200 deaths and 7000 injuries resulting from the incident which took place in 2020. This explosion was the cause of large amounts of ammonium nitrate that had been stored in a warehouse without proper security measures. Lebanese authorities believe that welding work was what resulted in a fire which then led to the explosion.
While some time has passed, Beirut still hasn’t recovered from the explosion. Not only did this disaster weaken the local currency and push millions into poverty, but it also wrecked necessary infrastructure like ports. The economic loss caused by this incident was around $15 billion, with $3 billion going into infrastructure restoration. With the port destroyed, there was a lack of exports and imports, which the country relied on.
6. Petrochina Chuandongbei Natural Gas Field Explosion (2003)
Number of deaths: 233+
In December 2003, PetroChina’s Chuandongbei natural gas field exploded in the municipality of Chongqing, China, killing more than 233 people and injuring over 10,000, putting it sixth on our list of the worst industrial disasters in the world. The blast was at such a catastrophic level that it nearly wiped out an entire village and caused other widespread damages.
While there isn’t much information about how much PetroChina (HKSE: 0857) paid compensation regarding this case, there most likely would have been rescuing operation costs, property damages, and compensation for blast victims.
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Disclosure: None. 15 Worst Industrial Disasters in the World is originally published on Insider Monkey.