The Cali Explosion occurred on August 7, 1956, in downtown Cali, Colombia. It was caused by the explosion of seven army ammunition trucks loaded with 1053 boxes of dynamite, which were parked in Cali overnight. In 1956, the city of Cali had around 400,000 inhabitants.[1] More than 1,300 died from the explosion, and another 4,000 were wounded.[2][3] Some estimate go as high as 4000 deaths and 12000 injured.[4]
Seven army trucks, loaded with 1053 boxes of dynamite, came from Buenaventura and were parked in an old railway station. The explosion occurred in the early hours of the morning - destroying 41 blocks and leaving a crater 50 meters wide and 25 meters deep. The blast destroyed buildings, homes and businesses, killing more than 1,300 people and injuring more than 4,000.[2] Six districts were affected: San Nicolás, El Porvenir, El Hoyo, El Piloto, Fátima and Jorge Isaacs.[4]
Hypotheses at the time for the explosion include trucks overheating or a soldier accidentally firing his gun. The incident occurred while Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was president. He attributed the tragedy to the opposition, who had recently signed the Benidorm covenant.[citation needed]
ReactionsEdit
In the early hours following the explosion, priest Alfonso Hurtado Galvis intervened.[clarification needed] He said of the incident: "the mushroom cloud left by the explosion resembled that formed by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but smaller in proportion ... mutilated body parts including legs, arms, torsos could be seen. The scene was horrific.. dead and wounded everywhere."[citation needed]
In the central cemetery 3725 skulls and body parts were buried in a mass grave.[citation needed] An iron cross near streets 25 and 26 was erected to commemorate the incident.
Following the tragedy, local Colombian organizations such as the Red Cross, the Sendas organization (Department of Social Welfare and Child Protection, later the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar), the Boy Scouts and the Sisters of Charity and clergy offered help. The Holy See, then headed by Pope Pius XII, the Soviet Union, the Kingdom of Afghanistan, the Pahlavi dynasty of Iran (Persia), Vietnam, the Kingdom of Laos, the Philippines, North Korea, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, the Mongolian People's Republic, South Korea, Japan, China and Europe sympathised with the victims.[citation needed]
Popular cultureEdit
Bloody Flesh (Spanish: Carne de tu carne, "Flesh of Your Flesh") is a 1983 Colombian drama horror film written and directed by Carlos Mayolo based on the explosion.
ReferencesEdit
^"Explosión 7 agosto". www.elpais.com.co (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-03-01.
^ abAyala Diago, César Augusto. "La explosión de Cali: Agosto 7 de 1956". www.banrepcultural.org (in Spanish). Retrieved 2019-03-21.
^"Mysterious explosions in Colombia". www.history.com. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
^ ab"7 de agosto de 1956, el día en que la 'Sucursal del Cielo' fue un infierno". caracol.com.co. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 2021-03-01.
cali, explosion, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, january, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Cali explosion news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Cali Explosion occurred on August 7 1956 in downtown Cali Colombia It was caused by the explosion of seven army ammunition trucks loaded with 1053 boxes of dynamite which were parked in Cali overnight In 1956 the city of Cali had around 400 000 inhabitants 1 More than 1 300 died from the explosion and another 4 000 were wounded 2 3 Some estimate go as high as 4000 deaths and 12000 injured 4 Cali explosionNative nameExplosion de CaliDateAugust 7 1956 1956 08 07 LocationCali ColombiaDeaths1300 Contents 1 Events 2 Reactions 3 Popular culture 4 ReferencesEvents EditSeven army trucks loaded with 1053 boxes of dynamite came from Buenaventura and were parked in an old railway station The explosion occurred in the early hours of the morning destroying 41 blocks and leaving a crater 50 meters wide and 25 meters deep The blast destroyed buildings homes and businesses killing more than 1 300 people and injuring more than 4 000 2 Six districts were affected San Nicolas El Porvenir El Hoyo El Piloto Fatima and Jorge Isaacs 4 The blast caused an earthquake with a magnitude of 4 3 The noise was heard in Buga Palmira Santander de Quilichao Caloto and Jamundi Hypotheses at the time for the explosion include trucks overheating or a soldier accidentally firing his gun The incident occurred while Gustavo Rojas Pinilla was president He attributed the tragedy to the opposition who had recently signed the Benidorm covenant citation needed Reactions EditIn the early hours following the explosion priest Alfonso Hurtado Galvis intervened clarification needed He said of the incident the mushroom cloud left by the explosion resembled that formed by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki but smaller in proportion mutilated body parts including legs arms torsos could be seen The scene was horrific dead and wounded everywhere citation needed In the central cemetery 3725 skulls and body parts were buried in a mass grave citation needed An iron cross near streets 25 and 26 was erected to commemorate the incident Following the tragedy local Colombian organizations such as the Red Cross the Sendas organization Department of Social Welfare and Child Protection later the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar the Boy Scouts and the Sisters of Charity and clergy offered help The Holy See then headed by Pope Pius XII the Soviet Union the Kingdom of Afghanistan the Pahlavi dynasty of Iran Persia Vietnam the Kingdom of Laos the Philippines North Korea the United States Canada Mexico Venezuela the Mongolian People s Republic South Korea Japan China and Europe sympathised with the victims citation needed Popular culture EditBloody Flesh Spanish Carne de tu carne Flesh of Your Flesh is a 1983 Colombian drama horror film written and directed by Carlos Mayolo based on the explosion References Edit Explosion 7 agosto www elpais com co in Spanish Retrieved 2021 03 01 a b Ayala Diago Cesar Augusto La explosion de Cali Agosto 7 de 1956 www banrepcultural org in Spanish Retrieved 2019 03 21 Mysterious explosions in Colombia www history com Retrieved 2021 03 01 a b 7 de agosto de 1956 el dia en que la Sucursal del Cielo fue un infierno caracol com co 7 August 2016 Retrieved 2021 03 01 3 27 35 N 76 31 14 W 3 459791 N 76 520605 W 3 459791 76 520605 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cali explosion amp oldid 1167777132, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
