A ‘Hurricane Of Fire’

It started like a biblical plague. Insects flanks snakes came down the trembling, smoking in the of Martinique’s volcanic Mount Pelée fields, spring of 1902, sweeping over farmers’ Deadly infesting villages, attacking livestock. Pierre, pit vipers wriggled in the streets of Saint- a glit-known as the “Paris of the West Indies,” were tering island city of 30,000 people. Soldiers assigned to shoot the snakes on sight. The busy harbor was crowded with in the ners, square-riggers and steamers, many sugar trade. Sailors watched in apprehension Rumors from decks as the mountain smoldered. . Ships flew. Tremors sent waves across the water rocked in the swell. On the morning of May 8, the volcano of mined with unimagined power. In a matter volcanic utes, a blast of superheated gas and volcanic a debris obliterated Saint-Pierre, leaving only handful of survivors on land. “The wave It was was on and over us like a lightning flash. Thompson, like a hurricane of fire,” said Charles Roraima, assistant purser aboard the steamship the cable who survived the blast. “I saw it strike capsize her . steamship Grappler broadside and and then From end to end she burst into flames and the sank. The town vanished before our eyes, thick of air grew stifling hot, and we were in the anchors and it.” Panic ensued as ships tried to slip Roraima. flee; many burned or sank, including Roraima.

The British ship Rodham sailed out and Pierre in a rain of pumice and ash, damaged Lucia with with heavy fatalities. Arriving in St. “We have news of the disaster, the captain said, come from the gates of hell.”

The image here was on the May 24, 1902, of Harper’s Weekly.