List of disasters in Massachusetts by death toll

This is a list of known disasters that have occurred in Massachusetts, organized by death toll. Historically documented events that caused 10 or more deaths are included.

List Notes: Some of the events occurred prior to Massachusetts becoming a U.S. state. Acts of war are excluded, such as battles of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts. Annual deaths from influenza ("flu season") are excluded unless they reached pandemic level per the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Every flu season since at least 2018–2019 has resulted in at least 10 deaths in Massachusetts. Some of the events occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, at varying distances from land (such distances, when known, are provided via footnote).

YearEventTypeDeath tollLocationSources1918Spanish flu pandemicDisease28,870statewide2020COVID-19 pandemicDisease20,872statewide 1693 1693 Boston yellow fever epidemic Disease 3,100+ Boston 19111911 Eastern North America heat waveWeather1,100statewide 1633 Massachusetts smallpox epidemic Disease 1,000 statewide 17211721 Boston smallpox outbreakDisease844Boston 1677 1677–1678 Boston smallpox epidemic Disease 750–1,000 Boston 1942Cocoanut Grove fireFire492BostonDaniel J. Fleming, "The Cocoanut Grove Revisited: U.S. Navy Records Document How 492 Died in a Deadly Nightclub Fire 75 Years Ago." Prologue Magazine, Fall 2017, Vol. 49, No. 31999EgyptAir Flight 990Aviation accident217off Nantucket1898Sinking of the PortlandShipwreck193 to 245off Gloucester 1874Mill River Flood of 1874Flood139Williamsburg/Northampton 1963Sinking of the USS ThresherShipwreck129off Cape Cod 1884Sinking of the SS City of ColumbusShipwreck103off Martha's Vineyard1953Worcester tornadoWeather94Worcester1973Delta Air Lines Flight 723Aviation accident89Boston1860Pemberton Mill collapseCollapse (building)88 to 145Lawrence19381938 New England hurricaneWeather88statewide1875Precious Blood Church fireFire78Holyoke1960Eastern Air Lines Flight 375Aviation accident62Boston Harbor18961896 Eastern North America heat waveWeather60+statewide1905Grover Shoe Factory disasterExplosion58Brockton1956Sinking of the SS Andrea DoriaShip collision51off Nantucket1916Summer Street Bridge disasterRailway accident46Boston1925Pickwick Club collapseCollapse (building)44Boston1927Sinking of the USS S-4Ship collision40off Provincetown1911Septic sore throat outbreakDisease38Boston1953Explosion aboard USS LeyteShipboard explosion37Boston (Naval Annex)1871Great Revere train wreck of 1871Railway collision30RevereThe New York Herald August 30, 1871 page 10 lists 30 fatalities1913Arcadia Hotel fireFire28Boston1872Great Boston Fire of 1872Fire26 to 30Boston1946Mount Tom B-17 crashAviation accident25Holyoke1874Granite Mill fireFire23Fall River1887Forest Hills disasterCollapse (rail bridge)23Boston18901890 Quincy train wreckRailway accident23Quincy1958Northeast Airlines Flight 258Aviation accident23Nantucket1903United States Cartridge Company explosionExplosion22Lowell1915St. John's School fireFire21Peabody1919Great Molasses FloodFlood21Boston1929Sinking of the SeinerShipwreck21off Nantucket1928Preble Box Toe Company explosionExplosion20Lynn1878Wollaston disasterRailway accident19Quincy1908Great Chelsea fire of 1908Fire19Chelsea1945SS Silver Star Park and SS Mangore collisionShip collision19off New Bedford19661966 Nantucket radar plane crashAviation accident19off Nantucket1905Baker Bridge train wreckRailway collision17Lincoln1910Morewood Lake Ice Company explosionExplosion17Pittsfield1944Sinking of the USS YF-415Shipboard explosion17off Hingham18041804 New England hurricaneWeather16statewide19651965 Nantucket radar plane crashAviation accident16off Nantucket1942Garnet Peak C-53 crashAviation accident16Peru1958Westover Air Force Base KC-135 crashAviation accident15Chicopee19671967 Nantucket radar plane crashAviation accident15off Nantucket1984Beverly rooming house fireFire15Beverly1893Chester train wreckCollapse (rail bridge)14Chester1928Beacon Oil explosionExplosion14Everett1867Hoosac Tunnel Central Shaft accidentCollapse (rail tunnel)13Florida1906Amsden Building collapseCollapse (building)13Framingham1941Strand Theatre fireFire13Brockton1942Melvin Hall fireFire13Lynn1956Swampscott train wreckRailway collision13Swampscott1966Everett train-truck crashRailway accident13Everett1890North End tenement fire (North Street)Fire12Boston1952Camp Edwards C-47/F-94B collisionAviation accident12Mashpee1958Northeast Airlines Flight 285Aviation accident12New Bedford1886Deerfield railway accidentRailway accident11Deerfield1902Frank A. Palmer and Louise B. Crary collisionShip collision11off Gloucester1913Lawrence bathhouse tragedyDrowning11Lawrence1919Springfield Boys' Club Camp drowningsDrowning11East Otis1964January 1964 blizzardWeather11statewide1966Paramount Hotel explosionExplosion11Boston1902North End lodging house fire (Fleet Street)Fire10Boston1944Mount Holyoke B-24 crashAviation accident10South Hadley1973Worcester rooming house fireFire10Worcester2025Gabriel House fireFire10Fall River

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

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References