The Buckner Building in Whittier Alaska withstood what natural disaster that claimed 139 lives?
Buckner Building The Buckner Building is an abandoned former U.S. military building in Whittier, Alaska. Designed by Foss, Malcolm and Olsen architects, it was constructed by the military in 1953 as a combined mess hall, sleeping quarters, recreational, medical and administrative facility and used to be one of the largest buildings in Alaska, often being referred to as "the city under one roof". The building was slightly damaged by the 9.2 1964 Alaska earthquake, though damage was minimized by its reinforced concrete construction.
Texas City disaster The Texas City disaster was an industrial accident that occurred April 16, 1947, in the Port of Texas City. It was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history, and one of the largest non-nuclear explosions. Originating with a mid-morning fire on board the French-registered vessel SS "Grandcamp" (docked in the port), her cargo of approximately 2,200 tons (approximately 2,100 metric tons) of ammonium nitrate detonated, with the initial blast and subsequent chain-reaction of further fires and explosions in other ships and nearby oil-storage facilities. It killed at least 581 people, including all but one member of the Texas City fire department. The disaster triggered the first ever class action lawsuit against the United States government, under the then-recently enacted Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), on behalf of 8,485 victims.