Green Hill Park Disaster, 1945
This booklet examines the explosion on board the SS Green Hill Park, a Canadian merchant vessel, in Vancouver, BC harbour in 1945, killing two seamen and six longshoremen, and the Inquiry in the aftermath.
In March 1945, the SS Green Hill Park was ravaged by explosions and fire in Vancouver harbour. This devastating event, later known as the Green Hill Park Disaster, instantly killed two seamen and six longshoremen. The ship, built in November 1943 during World War II, was owned by the federal government’s Park Steamship Company Limited.
This booklet is a reprint of an article written by John Stanton, the unions’ lawyer in the Commission of Inquiry into the explosion. It details the immediate aftermath of the explosion, including shattered windows in downtown Vancouver and the frantic response of emergency services. It also delves into the inquiry that followed, which exposed lax ship-loading and port management practices. A significant focus is placed on the cargo, specifically the ninety-four tonnes of sodium chlorate, lesser amounts of overproof whisky, and distress flares, with the sodium chlorate being a point of contention regarding the cause of the explosions. The document highlights the differing opinions of chemists and engineers on the chemical’s role in the disaster, ultimately favoring the view that sodium chlorate was “similar to gunpowder in effect”.
The booklet also chronicles the heroic efforts of tugboat men and firemen who worked to contain the blaze and tow the burning ship away from the docks. Despite fears of more explosions, they managed to move the vessel through the harbour and eventually beach it. The aftermath brought public outcry, leading to demands for a full inquiry and increased public awareness of waterfront work safety.