Engineering Disasters

On this episode, a massive explosion rocks a small Texas town killing 15 residents. A bridge in Washington collapses sending cars plunging into the river. Two construction cranes in New York City seem to fall from the sky leaving a path of destruction. A ferry full of passengers encounters trouble and sinks. And a building demolition In Philadelphia goes horribly wrong killing innocent shoppers next door. What do all of these catastrophes have in common? They were caused by engineering failures that led to disasters of epic proportions.

This episode investigates a stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair that leaves seven concertgoers dead. Is a gas leak to blame for an explosion in New York City that levels two buildings and kills eight people in their homes? Disaster strikes on an airliner at 36,000 feet as a gaping hole suddenly rips open midflight. Engineers in Japan scramble to save the lives of millions as an epic radioactive release looms. And, how could a train crossing be the site of not one, but two disastrous auto collisions in a single year?

Why did a 72 oil-car runaway train crash, killing 47 people and leveling half a town? Was it the brakes? Also, can engineers do anything to fix a gaping sinkhole at the National Corvette Museum, so car enthusiasts can safely return? And, what caused the Minneapolis Metrodome's iconic roof to collapse? Was it an engineering flaw or Mother Nature? Football fans want to know. Then, as 33 Chilean miners await their ultimate fate, trapped almost a half mile underground, mine drilling engineers scramble to dig a hole big enough to rescue them. Can a special drill make it though through earth harder than granite? And finally, JetBlue flight 194 started out like any other for 149 passengers. But just minutes into the journey, the airplane is almost crippled by a sudden hydraulic failure.

On this episode, a storm of the century takes out nine dams in Colorado, flooding entire towns and leaving thousands stranded. A train carrying hazardous materials derails, releasing toxic vapors throughout a small NJ community. A natural gas line breaks and reduces a neighborhood to ashes and rubble. A cargo jet crashes seconds after take off in Afghanistan. And, a luxury cruise goes from smooth sailing to wrecked on the rocks.

On this episode, an explosion in a San Bruno, California neighborhood destroys homes and kills residents. An experienced captain and crew sail their ship into the path of Hurricane Sandy, leaving many asking why? A building full of 3,500 garment workers suddenly collapses and traps many of them inside.

Why did Asiana flight 214, packed with passengers, suddenly crash land and cartwheel across San Francisco International Airport's runway? Three families of the dead want answers. And, what triggered a massive explosion at a chemical plant outside Wichita, Kansas?