A Beached Whale Creates a Problem
On November 9, 1970, a 45-foot (14 m) sperm whale washed ashore near Florence, Oregon. The massive carcass began to rot, emitting a foul odor. Local officials debated how to remove it, ultimately deciding to use dynamite to disintegrate the remains.
The Plan to Blow It Up
The Oregon Highway Division, responsible for the beach, consulted experts and determined that half a ton (450 kg) of dynamite would be enough to scatter the whale’s remains into the ocean, where scavengers would eat the pieces. Crowds gathered to watch the unusual event.
An Unexpected Disaster
On November 12, engineers detonated the explosives. Instead of vaporizing the whale, massive chunks of blubber rained down on the crowd, crushing a parked car 100 feet (30 m) away. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the stench filled the air, and much of the whale remained on the beach.
A Lesson in Cleanup Methods
The Oregon Highway Division had to finish the job manually, burying the leftover whale parts. The bizarre event was captured on film by KATU-TV reporter Paul Linnman, and the footage became legendary, making the Florence Whale Explosion one of history’s most infamous cleanup failures.
