When Technology Fails: 30 Terrifying Photos of Modern Disasters (31 photos)
Wherever heavy machinery and technology are involved, there is always a risk that things will suddenly go wrong. Often, it just leads to minor inconveniences—but sometimes, the consequences are downright catastrophic. 
April 28, 1988: The roof of an Aloha Airlines flight tore off mid-air at an altitude of 24,000 feet (7,300 meters) 
May 7, 2021: A tourist was left stranded 330 feet (100 meters) in the air on a glass bridge in China after several panels suddenly fell out 
A view of the collapsed Tacoma Narrows Bridge from the suspension cables, 1940 
November 2, 2020: In Spijkenisse, Netherlands, a metro train crashed through a buffer stop at the end of the tracks and was caught by a whale tail sculpture. Luckily, it happened at night, so no one was injured 
December 2019 in Detroit: A massive amount of hexavalent chromium leaked into the soil through a crack in a storage facility. It was only discovered when the chemical started oozing onto the highway 
August 14, 2020: "Chocolate snow" rained down on a Swiss town following a breakdown at a local factory 
The aftermath of a series of gas explosions in Mexico City, 1992 
2019: Cars transported on an open deck caught fire after saltwater short-circuited their batteries 
A massive wine tank rupture at a winery in Sicily 
January 17, 2021: The final seconds of a Ukrainian cargo ship before it snapped in half and sank in the Black Sea 
January 28, 1986: The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart shortly after launch, killing all 7 crew members. The disaster was later traced to a failure of the O-ring seals 
A Boeing 777 engine failed at 24,000 feet (7,300 meters). Fortunately, the plane landed safely 
December 19, 2019: A construction drill pulled up part of London's internet infrastructure 
After a grain silo collapsed in New Carlisle, Ohio, on January 28, 2018, $1.25 million worth of corn spilled across the ground 
A fire engulfing an operational Dutch windmill built in 1848 
A massive sinkhole swallowed a bus in Pittsburgh 
April 20, 2010: The blowout on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig 
A $300,000 video wall collapsed in Las Vegas 
August 4, 2020: The warehouse shortly before the catastrophic explosion in Beirut 
May 20, 1976: A fire broke out during structural repairs in the transparent acrylic dome of the Montreal Biosphere 
An improperly installed LED caused a gas leak. One person died and three were injured in an explosion while workers were investigating the issue 
A United Airlines flight blew its tires during takeoff. Thankfully, no one was injured 
Markham, Ontario: The plywood used to repair the building proved woefully inadequate for the task 
The container ship ONE Apus arrives in Japan after losing over 1,800 containers during a rough Pacific crossing en route to California 
Drone footage of an explosion at Indonesia's largest oil refinery in Indramayu 
A window washer scaffold cable snapped and struck a power line, triggering a short circuit. Safety harnesses saved the workers 
July 2014: Brand-new Boeing 737 fuselages damaged after a train derailment in Montana 
The Arecibo Observatory after the collapse of its instrument platform, November 30, 2020 
A failed rocket launch
