This is a list of disasters that have occurred in New York City organized by death toll. The list is general and comprehensive, comprising natural disasters (including epidemics) and man-made disasters both purposeful and accidental. It does not normally include numerous non-notable deadly events such as disease deaths in an ordinary year, nor most deaths due to residential fires, traffic collisions and criminal homicide. Particularly for epidemics, years reflect when the event impacted New York City rather than the world at large.

YearEventTypeDeath tollNotes and sources1982–presentHIV/AIDS epidemicdisease84,027+2020–2023COVID-19 pandemicdisease 38,795–45,1941918–1919Spanish fludisease20,403–33,0001849Third cholera pandemic (1st wave)disease5,0711832Second cholera pandemic (1st wave)disease3,5132001September 11 attacksterrorism2,7531854Third cholera pandemic (2nd wave)disease2,5091798Yellow feverdisease2,08619161916 New York City polio epidemicdisease 2,000+1872Smallpox epidemicdisease1,66618961896 Eastern North America heat waveweather1,3001866Fourth cholera pandemicdisease1,1371904PS General Slocummaritime1,0211834Second cholera pandemic (2nd wave)disease9711972Heat waveweather8911795Yellow feverdisease7321731Smallpoxdisease5491702Yellow feverdisease5001776Battle of Long Islandwarfare36419631963 New York City smogpollution 300–4051876Brooklyn Theatre firefire 278+2001American Airlines Flight 587 crashaircraft2651996TWA Flight 800 explosionaircraft23019531953 New York City smogpollution 200–26019661966 New York City smogpollution 168–4001911Triangle Shirtwaist Factory firefire1461776Battle of Fort Washingtonwarfare1431840Lexington firemaritime 139–1541960Park Slope plane crashaircraft1341776Battle of Harlem Heightswarfare1221863New York City draft riotsmass unrest 119–1201975Eastern Air Lines Flight 66 crashaircraft1131871Westfield disastermaritime 104–1251888Great Blizzard of 1888weather 100–2001918Malbone Street Wreckrail 93–1021962American Airlines Flight 1 crashaircraft951990Happy Land firefire871899Windsor Hotel firefire861965Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crashaircraft841852Henry Clay Steamboat disastermaritime801950Kew Gardens train crashrail781932Observation explosionmaritime721732Yellow feverdisease701850Hague Street explosionexplosion 67+1959American Airlines Flight 320 crashaircraft651871Second Orange Riotmass unrest621891Park Place disasterexplosion612012Hurricane Sandyweather531926Linseed Kingmaritime 51–581960USS Constellation fire at the New York Naval Shipyardmaritime501947United Airlines Flight 521 crashaircraft431851Ninth Ward School disasterfire431969February 1969 nor'easterweather4219731973 Staten Island gas explosionexplosion401643Massacre at Corlears Hookwarfare401920Wall Street bombingterrorism381946Knickerbocker Ice Company disasterfire371741New York Conspiracy of 1741mass unrest341966New York Harbor tanker collisionmaritime331845Great New York City Fire of 1845fire301712New York Slave Revolt of 1712mass unrest 29–361892Hotel Royal firefire281992USAir Flight 405aircraft271923Manhattan State Hospital firefire271954Alitalia Flight 451 crashaircraft261976Puerto Rican Social Club firefire251962Eastern Air Lines Flight 512 crashaircraft251958Monarch Underwear Company firefire241880Seawanhaka disastermaritime24–351962New York Telephone Company boiler explosionexplosion231849Astor Place Riotmass unrest 22–311902Park Avenue Hotel firefire211908Gold Street explosionexplosion 20+1905Allen Street tenement firefire 20+1957Northeast Airlines Flight 823 crashaircraft201860Elm Street tenement firefire201937New Brighton tenement collapsestructural collapse1920222022 Bronx apartment firefire171885Glass House disasterstructural collapse1719281928 Times Square derailmentrail 16–181895Ireland Building collapsestructural collapse1618931893 Long Island Rail Road collisionrail161902Park Avenue Tunnel crashrail 15–172011World Wide Tours bus crashroad151902Madison Square fireworks explosionexplosion151883Church of the Most Holy Redeemer school firefire 14–1619451945 Empire State Building B-25 crashaircraft142021Hurricane Idaweather131968Williamsburg apartment firefire131905Ninth Avenue derailmentrail131899Andrews mansion firefire131877E. Greenfield candy factory firefire1320172017 Bronx apartment firefire1219701970 New York City gas explosionexplosion12196623rd Street Firefire121915Diamond Candy Company firefire1218831883 Brooklyn Bridge stampedemass unrest1220032003 Staten Island Ferry crashmaritime111975LaGuardia Airport bombingterrorism111970Trans International Airlines Flight 863 crashaircraft111929Pathé Studios firefire111854W. T. Jennings firefire111984Palm Sunday massacrehomicide101956Bush Terminal explosionexplosion1019381938 New England hurricaneweather101910Grand Central Station explosionexplosion102009Hudson River mid-air collisionaircraft91991City College stampedemass unrest91977Everard Baths firefire91894Newtown Creek Bridge disasterstructural collapse92017New York City truck attackterrorism82014East Harlem gas explosionexplosion81995Freddy's Fashion Mart attackhomicide81932Ritz Tower Hotel fire and explosionexplosion819231923 Brooklyn elevated train crashrail819021902 New York City Subway explosionexplosion81870First Orange Riotmass unrest818821882 Spuyten Duyvil train wreckrail81857Dead Rabbits riotmass unrest820082008 Manhattan crane collapsestructural collapse719151915 New York City Subway explosionexplosion 6–251917Domino Sugar Refinery explosionexplosion 6–1220252025 Hudson River helicopter crashaircraft61993World Trade Center Bombingterrorism61978Waldbaum's firefire619671967 New York City freight train collisionrail61962Queens soap plant firefire61943Harlem riot of 1943mass unrest61912Equitable Life Building firefire618911891 New York City train collisionrail620182018 New York City helicopter crashaircraft51991Union Square derailmentrail51977Pan Am Building helicopter crashaircraft51959American Airlines Flight 514aircraft519521952 Queens plane crashaircraft5194640 Wall Street plane crashaircraft519011901 Staten Island Ferry crashmaritime4–520252025 Midtown Manhattan shootinghomicide42013December 2013 Spuyten Duyvil derailmentrail41975Fraunces Tavern bombingterrorism41973Broadway Central Hotel collapsestructural collapse41947North American blizzard of 1947weather419291929 New York City Subway collisionrail41914Lexington Avenue explosionterrorism41691Leisler's Rebellionwarfare42025Brooklyn club shootinghomicide31788Doctors' riotmass unrest 3–201989Gramercy Park asbestos steam explosionexplosion31970Greenwich Village townhouse explosionterrorism319461946 St. George Terminal firefire31935Harlem riot of 1935mass unrest32026Air Canada Express Flight 8646aircraft22015East Village gas explosionexplosion220062006 New York City Cirrus SR20 crashaircraft21991Crown Heights riotmass unrest21989USAir Flight 5050 crash aircraft219581958 East River collisionmaritime219471947 New York City smallpox outbreakdisease219291929 Yankee Stadium stampedemass unrest21835Great Fire of New Yorkfire220202020 New York City Subway firerail120192019 New York City helicopter crashaircraft120072007 New York City steam explosionexplosion11995Williamsburg Bridge subway collisionrail11964Harlem riot of 1964mass unrest11956Sylvania Electric Products explosionexplosion11949Holland Tunnel firefire11942SS Normandiemaritime119151915 New York City Subway firerail11770Battle of Golden Hillwarfare 0–12009US Airways Flight 1549 crashaircraft01975Overseas National Airways Flight 032aircraft019691969 New York City gas explosionexplosion019191919 Standard Oil Company firefire01866–presentGreenpoint oil spillpollutionunknown1776Great Fire of New Yorkfireunknown1655Peach Warwarfareunknown1643–1645Kieft's Warwarfareunknown

See also List of accidents and disasters by death toll List of natural disasters by death toll List of disasters in the United States by death toll

Notes

References