1913day.year
The Italian Hall disaster in Calumet, Michigan results in the deaths of 73 striking workers families at a Christmas party participants (including 59 children) when someone falsely yells "fire".
A false cry of "fire" at a Christmas party in Calumet, Michigan triggers a deadly crush on December 24, 1913.
During a holiday celebration organized by striking copper miners, someone shouted "fire," causing panicked guests to rush down a narrow stairway. The crushing stampede killed 73 people, most of them children, making it one of the worst tragedies in American labor history. Rescue efforts were hampered by frightened crowds and limited emergency resources. Despite investigations, the individual responsible for the false alarm was never identified. The disaster highlighted the volatile atmosphere of labor disputes and led to changes in public hall safety regulations.
1913
Italian Hall disaster
Calumet, Michigan
Christmas
1929day.year
A four alarm fire breaks out in the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C.
A severe fire broke out in the West Wing of the White House on December 24, 1929, causing extensive damage to presidential offices.
Late in the evening, a four-alarm blaze erupted in the West Wing, engulfing key offices used by President Herbert Hoover’s administration. Firefighters battled the inferno through the night while staff salvaged important documents and furnishings. Although no fatalities occurred, the structural damage was significant, requiring months of restoration. The event prompted improvements in fire safety protocols and building materials within the executive complex. The incident also highlighted the vulnerabilities of national landmarks. Today, the reconstructed West Wing stands as a testament to the resilience of the presidency and its historic home.
West Wing
White House
1945day.year
Five of nine children become missing after their home in Fayetteville, West Virginia, is burned down.
On December 24, 1945, a devastating fire engulfed a family home in Fayetteville, West Virginia, leaving five of the nine children missing.
The blaze erupted on Christmas Eve in a small Fayetteville neighborhood, consuming the wooden house within minutes.
Firefighters arrived swiftly but were unable to locate five of the nine children amid the collapsing structure.
Local authorities launched an intensive search throughout the surrounding woods and riverbanks amid freezing winter conditions.
Neighbors, church groups, and volunteer squads joined the effort, scouring the area for any sign of the missing youngsters.
Despite days of exhaustive searching, the fate of the five children remains one of the area’s most enduring mysteries.
1945
become missing
Fayetteville, West Virginia
1953day.year
Tangiwai disaster: In New Zealand's North Island, at Tangiwai, a railway bridge is damaged by a lahar and collapses beneath a passenger train, killing 151 people.
A massive lahar from Mount Ruapehu damaged a rail bridge at Tangiwai on December 24, 1953, causing a passenger train to plunge into the Whangaehu River and killing 151 people.
In the early hours of December 24, 1953, a volcanic lahar from Mount Ruapehu breached the Tangiwai rail bridge on New Zealand’s North Island.
A passenger train bound for Wellington reached the weakened span just as it collapsed under the locomotive’s weight.
The derailing train fell into the icy Whangaehu River, resulting in 151 fatalities and leaving only 41 survivors.
Rescue teams faced treacherous conditions of darkness, swift currents, and harsh weather on Christmas Eve.
This remains New Zealand’s worst rail disaster, prompting major improvements in lahar warning systems and river monitoring.
1953
Tangiwai disaster
New Zealand
North Island
Tangiwai
lahar
1955day.year
A flood devastates California, killing 74 people across portions of the state.
In December 1955, severe flooding swept across California, claiming 74 lives and causing widespread damage.
Late in December 1955, torrential rains combined with rapid snowmelt to trigger devastating floods across California.
Rivers and streams overflowed their banks, inundating towns, farms, and transportation networks from north to south.
Roads and bridges were washed out, isolating communities and complicating rescue operations under freezing conditions.
The National Guard and local agencies conducted large-scale evacuations and relief efforts to reach stranded residents.
Despite heroic efforts, the floods ultimately claimed 74 lives and caused millions of dollars in damage.
In the aftermath, the state invested in enhanced flood control measures, including dam construction and levee reinforcement.
1955
A flood
1964day.year
Flying Tiger Line Flight 282 crashes after takeoff from San Francisco International Airport, killing three.
Flying Tiger Line Flight 282 crashed shortly after taking off from San Francisco International Airport on December 24, 1964, killing all three crew members on board.
On Christmas Eve 1964, Flight 282, operated by the Flying Tiger Line, departed San Francisco International Airport bound for Honolulu.
Moments after takeoff, the aircraft encountered difficulty gaining altitude and crashed near the waterfront.
The impact and subsequent fire claimed the lives of all three crew members aboard the cargo flight.
Local rescue teams and firefighters arrived rapidly but were unable to save any survivors.
The Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation into the accident, scrutinizing maintenance records and flight data.
The crash underscored the hazards faced by cargo operators navigating dense coastal airspace and led to enhanced safety inspections.
Flying Tiger Line Flight 282
San Francisco International Airport
1966day.year
A Canadair CL-44 chartered by the United States military crashes into a small village in South Vietnam, killing 111.
On December 24, 1966, a Canadair CL-44 aircraft chartered by the U.S. military crashed into a village in South Vietnam, killing 111 people including military personnel and civilians.
On Christmas Eve 1966, a Canadair CL-44 transport plane operated under U.S. military charter crashed into a rural village in South Vietnam during its approach.
The impact devastated several homes, and the resulting fire swept through the area, causing widespread destruction.
In total, 111 people lost their lives, comprising both military personnel aboard the aircraft and civilians in the village.
Emergency response teams and local villagers worked through the night to recover victims and contain the wreckage.
Joint U.S. and South Vietnamese investigations examined potential mechanical issues, pilot error, and navigational challenges.
The disaster highlighted the inherent risks of military aviation operations amid the complexities of the Vietnam War.
1966
Canadair CL-44
United States military
crashes
South Vietnam
1971day.year
LANSA Flight 508 is struck by lightning and crashes in the Puerto Inca District in the Department of Huánuco in Peru, killing 91.
LANSA Flight 508 was struck by lightning and crashed in Peru's Huánuco region, resulting in 91 fatalities.
LANSA Flight 508, a domestic Peruvian airliner, departed Lima for Pucallpa on December 24, 1971.
While flying over the remote Huánuco region, the aircraft was struck by severe lightning.
The lightning strike caused structural failure and the plane crashed into the jungle.
All 91 people on board perished in the isolated Puerto Inca District.
The tragedy highlighted the dangers of flying through tropical storm systems.
It remains one of Peru's deadliest aviation disasters.
1971
LANSA Flight 508
Puerto Inca District
Department of Huánuco
Peru
1974day.year
Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin, Australia.
Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin, Australia, causing widespread destruction and leaving the city in ruins.
In the early hours of December 24–25, 1974, Tropical Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin with ferocious winds.
The Category 4 storm packed winds over 200 km/h, flattening homes and infrastructure.
Over 70% of Darwin's buildings were damaged or destroyed, and nearly all residents were affected.
Hundreds were injured, and the official death toll reached 71, though many more were displaced.
The devastation prompted Australia's largest peacetime evacuation.
Reconstruction efforts transformed Darwin's skyline and building codes.
1974
Cyclone Tracy
Darwin
1983day.year
Aeroflot Flight 601 crashes during takeoff from Leshukonskoye Airport, Russia, killing 44 of the 49 people on board.
Aeroflot Flight 601 crashed on takeoff from Leshukonskoye Airport, killing 44 of 49 aboard.
On December 24, 1983, Aeroflot Flight 601 attempted takeoff from Leshukonskoye Airport in northern Russia.
Shortly after liftoff, the aircraft suffered an unexplained loss of control.
It crashed back onto the runway, breaking apart and catching fire.
Of the 49 people on board, 44 tragically lost their lives.
The accident remains one of Aeroflot's most deadly during the Soviet era.
Investigations cited possible mechanical failure amid harsh winter conditions.
1983
Aeroflot Flight 601
Leshukonskoye Airport
1994day.year
Air France Flight 8969 is hijacked on the ground at Houari Boumediene Airport, Algiers, Algeria. Over the course of three days three passengers are killed, as are all four terrorists.
Air France Flight 8969 was hijacked at Algiers airport by terrorists, resulting in casualties over three days.
On December 24, 1994, Air France Flight 8969 was seized by four armed terrorists at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers.
The hijackers demanded the release of imprisoned comrades and threatened to detonate explosives.
Over the next three days, tensions mounted as passengers were held captive.
Three passengers were killed during the ordeal, and all four terrorists died during a French special forces rescue in Marseille.
The incident exposed the rise of terrorism in Algeria during the civil conflict.
It led to strengthened airline security protocols worldwide.
1994
Air France Flight 8969
Houari Boumediene Airport
Algiers
1996day.year
A Learjet 35 crashes into Smarts Mountain near Dorchester, New Hampshire, killing both pilots on board.
A Learjet 35 crashed into Smarts Mountain, New Hampshire, killing both pilots on board.
On December 24, 1996, a privately chartered Learjet 35 departed from Boston en route to Cincinnati.
The aircraft encountered severe weather and lost altitude near Smarts Mountain in New Hampshire.
It slammed into the heavily forested mountainside, leaving no survivors.
Both pilots were killed instantly upon impact.
The crash highlighted risks of flying small jets in harsh winter conditions.
Subsequent investigations focused on weather avoidance and aircraft performance.
1996
Learjet 35
crashes
Smarts Mountain
Dorchester, New Hampshire