Art by Gary Hanna

CCSS

R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.7, W.3, L.4, L.6

The Shattered Sky

More than one hundred years ago, a disaster in Canada killed thousands of people—and shocked the world

Before You Read: Check out our Background Builder slideshow

 

Noble Driscoll

    Noble Driscoll, 13, woke up in a pile of rocks and crushed concrete. Where was his family? Where were his friends? Noble thought he might be the last person alive.

    It was December 6, 1917. Just minutes before, it had been a normal day in Halifax and Dartmouth—two cities in Nova Scotia [SKOH-shuh], Canada. These cities sat on the Atlantic Ocean and were separated by a narrow harbor.

    Earlier that morning, a low mist hung over the water. And people were busy in Noble’s neighborhood in Halifax. Moms served up bowls of oatmeal. Kids gathered their schoolbooks. Dads went to work. Factories made flour and beer. At the harbor, men carried cargo onto giant ships.

    Noble could see the harbor from his backyard. He loved to watch the ships pass by. Most belonged to the military. They were carrying supplies to World War I—a terrible war in Europe. Millions of soldiers had already died there in bloody battles.

    Noble Driscoll woke up in a pile of rocks. He was 13 years old. He wondered: Where was his family? Where were his friends? Was everyone dead?

    It was December 6, 1917. It had started as a normal day in Halifax and Dartmouth. These are two cities in Nova Scotia [SKOH-shuh], Canada. These cities sit on the Atlantic Ocean. They are separated by a narrow harbor.

    Noble lived in Halifax. That morning, moms made breakfast. Kids gathered their schoolbooks. Dads went to work. Factories made flour and beer. At the harbor, men carried cargo onto big ships.

    Noble could see the harbor from his backyard. He loved to watch the ships pass by. Most were military ships. They were headed to Europe. A terrible war was being fought there. It was called World War I.

    It was December 6, 1917. Noble Driscoll woke up in a pile of rocks and crushed concrete. The 13-year-old wondered where his family and friends were—he feared that he might be the last person alive.

    Just minutes earlier, the day had been a normal one in Halifax and Dartmouth. These two cities—located in Nova Scotia [SKOH-shuh], Canada—sit on the Atlantic Ocean and are separated by a narrow harbor.

    Earlier that morning, a low mist hung over the water. People in Noble’s neighborhood in Halifax went about their usual routines—moms served up bowls of oatmeal, kids gathered their schoolbooks, and dads went to work. Some were employed by factories that produced flour and beer. Others worked at the harbor, carrying cargo onto giant ships.

    Noble enjoyed watching the ships pass by in the harbor, which was visible from his backyard. Most were military ships, carrying supplies and soldiers to World War I—a terrible war in Europe that had already seen millions of casualties.

Illustration by Steve Stankiewicz

Two Cities 
Dartmouth is now part of the city of Halifax. But in 1917, Halifax and Dartmouth were two cities separated by a narrow harbor.

Crash! Whoosh! 

    On that morning of December 6, one of the ships near Halifax was the Mont-Blanc. It was loaded with dangerous chemicals, like benzol. This is a liquid similar to gasoline that can blow up easily. 

    Around 8:30 a.m., the Mont-Blanc entered Halifax Harbor. At the same time, a ship called the Imo was leaving the harbor. As the two ships sped toward each other, both pilots blared their whistles. But it was too late. 

    Crash!

    The Imo smashed into the Mont-Blanc. The barrels of benzol fell over and broke open. The metal on the two ships scraped together. Sparks flew. And then . . .

    WHOOSH!

    The benzol burst into flames. Francis Mackey, the Mont-Blanc’s pilot, knew there was nothing he could do. Soon the rest of the chemicals on the ship would catch fire too.

    On December 6, a ship called the Mont-Blanc was heading toward Halifax Harbor. The ship was loaded with dangerous chemicals. One of the chemicals was benzol. It can blow up easily. 

    Around 8:30 that morning, the Mont-Blanc entered the harbor. At the same time, a ship called the Imo was leaving the harbor. Both pilots blared their whistles to tell the other ship to get out of the way. But it was too late. 

    Crash!

    The Imo smashed into the Mont-Blanc. The barrels of benzol broke open. The metal on the two ships scraped together. Sparks flew. And then . . .

    WHOOSH!

    The benzol burst into flames. Francis Mackey was the pilot of the Mont-Blanc. He knew he could not put out the flames. He knew the rest of the chemicals would catch fire too.

    One of the ships approaching Halifax that fateful morning was called the Mont-Blanc. The ship was loaded with dangerous chemicals, such as benzol—a liquid similar to gasoline that can easily ignite.

    Just as the Mont-Blanc was entering Halifax Harbor, at around 8:30 a.m., another ship called the Imo was exiting the harbor. As the two ships sped toward each other, both pilots blared their whistles—but it was too late. 

    Crash!

    The Imo smashed into the Mont-Blanc, causing the barrels of benzol to fall over and break open. Sparks flew as the metal on the two ships scraped together. And then . . .

    WHOOSH!

    The benzol burst into flames. Francis Mackey, the Mont-Blanc’s pilot, knew he could not extinguish the flames—or prevent the other chemicals from catching on fire.

Ripped to Pieces 

    Mackey and the Mont-Blanc crew quickly hopped into lifeboats. As they rowed toward shore, Mackey waved and shouted at other ships to warn them of the danger. But no one seemed to notice.

    Back home, Noble saw flames from the Mont-Blanc flicking toward the sky. He walked toward the harbor for a better look. The Mont-Blanc was now floating toward Noble’s neighborhood. And at about 9 a.m. . . . 

    BOOM! An explosion rocked the harbor.

    In a fraction of a second, the Mont-Blanc was ripped to pieces. The explosion likely reached 9,000 degrees. People could feel the ground shake 250 miles away.

    In Dartmouth and Halifax, ships flipped over. Trains flew off rails. Factories fell down. Doors were ripped off houses, trees snapped in two, and windows shattered. 

    The force of the explosion lifted Noble into the air. He landed near his school, unconscious. For about 10 minutes, black rain fell—a mix of burned benzol, melted metal, and other debris.

    Mackey and the Mont-Blanc crew got into lifeboats. They rowed toward shore. Mackey waved and shouted at other ships. He was trying to warn them. But no one seemed to notice.

    Noble saw flames rising from the Mont-Blanc. He wanted a better look. So he walked toward the harbor. And at about 9 a.m. .  .  . 

    BOOM! 

    The Mont-Blanc exploded. The blast was powerful. People could feel the ground shake 250 miles away.

    In Dartmouth and Halifax, ships flipped over. Trains flew off their rails. Factories fell down. Trees snapped in two. Windows shattered. 

    The force of the explosion lifted Noble into the air. He landed near his school. He was unconscious. For about 10 minutes, black rain fell. It was a mix of burned benzol, melted metal, and other debris.

    Mackey and the Mont-Blanc crew quickly abandoned the ship on lifeboats. As they rowed toward shore, Mackey waved and shouted at other ships to warn them of the danger. But no one seemed to notice.

    From his home, Noble observed flames from the Mont-Blanc flicking toward the sky. He walked toward the harbor for a better view. The Mont-Blanc was now floating toward Noble’s neighborhood. And at about 9 a.m. .  .  . 

    BOOM! A powerful explosion rocked the harbor.

    In a fraction of a second, the Mont-Blanc was ripped to pieces. The temperature of the explosion likely reached 9,000 degrees. People could feel the ground shake 250 miles away.

    In Dartmouth and Halifax, ships flipped over, trains flew off rails, and factories fell down. In neighborhoods, doors were ripped from houses, trees snapped in two, and windows shattered. 

    The force of the explosion propelled Noble through the air. He landed near his school, unconscious. For about 10 minutes, black rain fell—a mix of burned benzol, melted metal, and other debris.

Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management (Before); Library and Archives Canada/C-019945 (After)

Along the Waterfron
Top: Halifax before the explosion. Many houses were made of wood, which caught fire after the blast. Bottom: A view of Halifax after the explosion.

More Horror

    When Noble woke up, he saw that most of the buildings were gone. Fires burned everywhere. His jacket had been blown off. His skin was blackened by the rain, and pieces of glass stuck in his hair.

    But there was more horror to come. The explosion set off a huge wave that crashed through Dartmouth and Halifax. It knocked over more buildings and swept people away. 

    Luckily for Noble, the wave did not reach him. In a daze, he headed back toward his house. When he got there, there was almost nothing left. 

    And Noble learned that one of his 13 siblings—his little brother Gordon—was missing.

    Noble woke up. He saw fires burning everywhere. His skin was blackened from the rain. Pieces of glass were stuck in his hair.

    But there was more horror to come. The explosion set off a huge wave. It crashed through Dartmouth and Halifax. It knocked over more buildings. It swept people away. 

    Luckily for Noble, the wave did not reach him. He headed back to his house. But almost nothing of it was left. 

    Noble had 13 siblings. When he got home, he learned that his little brother Gordon was missing.

    When Noble woke up, he saw that most of the buildings were gone and fires were burning all around him. His jacket had been blown off, his skin was blackened by the rain, and pieces of glass were stuck in his hair.

    But more horror was to come: The explosion triggered a massive wave that crashed through Dartmouth and Halifax, knocking over more buildings and sweeping people away. 

    Fortunately for Noble, the wave did not reach him. In a daze, he headed back toward his house, but when he got there, he discovered that there was almost nothing left. 

    More tragically, upon arriving home, Noble learned that one of his 13 siblings—his little brother Gordon—was missing.

Looking for Answers

All Canada Photos/Alamy Stock Photo

The bell tower sits on top of a hill in Halifax.

    The Mont-Blanc explosion was one of the most powerful explosions in history. Thousands of people lost homes and jobs. About 2,000 people died, and at least 9,000 were injured. 

    People were angry. They wanted answers, and many blamed Mackey. Now experts say that the accident was not his fault.

    Today, Halifax is a busy city. And the explosion is still an important part of its history. Mention it to nearly anyone, and he or she can probably tell you about a relative who lived through it.

    As for Noble? Sadly, his brother Gordon was never found. The family went on as best as they could. In 1919, World War I ended. People everywhere were ready to rebuild their lives.

    Noble grew up and got married. He managed a store. He lived in a house near the childhood home he lost in the explosion.

    In that neighborhood today, there is a bell tower at the top of a hill overlooking the harbor. Each December 6, the bells ring to remind everyone of the day the sky shattered.

    The Mont-Blanc explosion was one of the most powerful explosions in history. About 2,000 people died. At least 9,000 others were injured. 

    People were angry. They wanted answers. Many blamed Mackey, the pilot of the Mont-Blanc. Now experts say that the accident was not his fault.

    The explosion is an important part of the history of Halifax. Most people there have a relative who lived through it.

    As for Noble? His brother Gordon was never found. In 1919, World War I ended. People everywhere were ready to rebuild their lives.

    Noble grew up and got married. He managed a store. He lived in a house near the childhood home he lost in the explosion.

    Today, there is a bell tower at the top of a hill in Halifax. Each December 6, the bells ring. The ringing is a reminder of the day the sky shattered.

    The Mont-Blanc explosion was one of the most powerful explosions in history. Thousands of people lost homes and jobs, about 2,000 people died, and at least 9,000 were injured. 

    People were angry, and they demanded answers. Many blamed Mackey. However, experts now say that the accident was not his fault.

    Today, Halifax is a bustling city. The explosion is an important part of its history. Mention it to nearly anyone, and he or she can probably tell you about a relative who experienced the tragedy.

    As for Noble? Sadly, his brother Gordon was never found. The family went on as best as they could. World War I ended in 1919, and people everywhere were ready to rebuild their lives.

    Noble grew up, got married, and managed a store. He lived in a house near the site of his childhood home that was destroyed in the explosion.

    In that neighborhood today, a bell tower at the top of a hill overlooks the harbor. The bells are rung every December 6 to remind everyone of the day the sky shattered.

Background Builder

ACTIVITY: 
Finding text evidence

Maritime Museum of the Atlantic (War Ship); Digitally restored by Joel Zemel (Original Image Courtesy of Janet Maybee and the Mackey Family) (Francis Mackey)

Wartime Ships
Like many ships used in World War I, the Mont-Blanc (shown above) was not originally built for war. Its pilot, Francis Mackey (left), was one of the most respected pilots in Halifax.

You’ve just read “The Shattered Sky.” Now do this activity to help you better understand the article.

Tip: Text evidence means details in a story that support an answer or show that it is true.

What to do: Use text evidence—or details from the article—to answer the questions below. We did the first one for you.

You’ve just read “The Shattered Sky.” Now do this activity to help you better understand the article.

Tip: Text evidence means details in a story that support an answer or show that it is true.

What to do: Use text evidence—or details from the article—to answer the questions below. We did the first one for you.

You’ve just read “The Shattered Sky.” Now do this activity to help you better understand the article.

Tip: Text evidence means details in a story that support an answer or show that it is true.

What to do: Use text evidence—or details from the article—to answer the questions below. We did the first one for you.

What damage did the Halifax explosion cause?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Ripped to Pieces.”

Answer: Ships flipped over, trains flew off rails, factories fell down, doors were ripped off houses, trees snapped, and windows shattered.

What damage did the Halifax explosion cause?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Ripped to Pieces.”

Answer: Ships flipped over, trains flew off rails, factories fell down, doors were ripped off houses, trees snapped, and windows shattered.

What damage did the Halifax explosion cause?

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Ripped to Pieces.”

Answer: Ships flipped over, trains flew off rails, factories fell down, doors were ripped off houses, trees snapped, and windows shattered.

What did Noble look like when he woke up? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “More Horror.”

What did Noble look like when he woke up? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “More Horror.”

What did Noble look like when he woke up? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “More Horror.”

What crashed through Dartmouth and Halifax after the blast? What did it do? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “More Horror.”

What crashed through Dartmouth and Halifax after the blast? What did it do? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “More Horror.”

What crashed through Dartmouth and Halifax after the blast? What did it do? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “More Horror.”

How many people died in the explosion? How many people were injured? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Looking for Answers.”

How many people died in the explosion? How many people were injured? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Looking for Answers.”

How many people died in the explosion? How many people were injured? 

HINT: Look for the answer in the section “Looking for Answers.”

Think About It! How powerful and destructive was the Halifax explosion?

Think About It! How powerful and destructive was the Halifax explosion?

Think About It! How powerful and destructive was the Halifax explosion?

videos (1)
Skills Sheets (8)
Skills Sheets (8)
Skills Sheets (8)
Skills Sheets (8)
Skills Sheets (8)
Skills Sheets (8)
Skills Sheets (8)
Skills Sheets (8)
Lesson Plan (2)
Lesson Plan (2)
Leveled Articles (2)
Leveled Articles (2)
Text-to-Speech