Trenton in Quinte West in Hastings County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
The British Chemical Co. Explosion of 1918
L'Explosion du British Chemical Co. de 1918
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., May 12, 2025
1. The British Chemical Co. Explosion of 1918 / L'Explosion du British Chemical Co. de 1918 Marker
Looking east across the Trent River from here once stood the British Chemical Company munitions factory, the largest munition factory in the British Commonwealth. The plant made high explosives and on the night of October 14, 1918, Thanksgiving weekend, most of the plant was destroyed in an enormous explosion...
From The Intelligencer newspaper 15 October, 1918
The miracle of Trenton, a night of terrifying explosions in the big munition plant rocked the town, broke almost every pane of glass, and was heard for miles around, while masses of flames from burning chemicals leaped hundreds of feet straight up in the air, luckily no lives were lost and no one was injured. However the residents became panic stricken and picking up whatever was handiest, fled to open country. Soon every road leading out of town was crowded with hundreds of people, some only partly dressed, mothers carrying babies and families that were separated in the panic. The night was one long to be remembered as a hideous nightmare.
Eight times that night, horrendous explosions rent the sky, like a giant fireworks display gone mad. With each blast,
this page online
-Excerpt from the book, Explosion: The Trenton Disaster by John Melady
[Before and after photos are uncaptioned]
This plaque was placed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the incident, courtesy of the City of Quinte West and the Trent Port Historical Society
En regardant vers l'est à travers la rivière Trent, se trouvait autrefois le British Chemical Company de produits chimiques et munitions, la plus grande usine de munitions du Commonwealth britanique. L'usine a produit de gros explosifs et dans la nuit du 14 octobre 1918, le week-end de Thanksgiving, la plus grande partie de l'usine a été détruite lors d'une énorme explosion...
Du journal Intelligencer 15 octobre 1918
Le miracle de Trenton, une nuit d'explosions terrifiantes dans la grande usine de munitions a secoué la ville, a cassé presque chaque voletde verre, et a été entendu pendant des miles autour, tandis que des masses de flammes de produits chimiques brûlants ont sauté
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., May 12, 2025
2. The British Chemical Co. Explosion of 1918 Marker
Huit fois cette nuit, d'horribles explosions déchirent le ciel, comme un feu d'artifice géant devenu fou, avec chaque explosion, des bois volants, du verre, des morceaux d'acier déchiquetés, des mottes de terre et des béton cassé a douché la propriété de l'usine, la rivière, et unbonne affair de l'extrémité nod de la ville.
-Extrait du livre, Explosion: The Trenton Disaster par John Melady
Cette plaque a été placée pour commémorer le 100e anniversaire de l'incident, courtoisie de la ville de Quinte West et du Société historique de Trent Port
[Les photos avant et après ne sont pas légendées]
Erected 2018 by City of Quinte West, the Trent Port Historical Society, and Parks Canada.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists:
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., May 12, 2025
3. The British Chemical Co. Explosion of 1918 Marker
Location. 44° 7.376′ N, 77° 35.491′ W. Marker is in Quinte West, Ontario, in Hastings County. It is in Trenton. It is on County Highway 33, on the right when traveling north. Marker is on the grounds of Lock 1, Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 155 County Road 33, Quinte West ON K8V 5P6, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Ontario and specifically in Southeastern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Royal Canadian Air Force Memorial (approx. 1.1 kilometers away); D.J. MacDonald Bridge (approx. 2.2 kilometers away); The Trenton Greenbelt Restoration Project (approx. 2.3 kilometers away); Mount Pelion (approx. 2.4 kilometers away); Gilmour Lumber & Company Offices (approx. 2.6 kilometers away); Bleecker's Ferry (approx. 2.6 kilometers away); Civic Memorial Tree (approx. 2.7 kilometers away); 'Our Past, Our Present' (approx. 2.7 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Quinte West.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 21, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 21, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 540 times since then and 138 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 21, 2025, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
