Steamship Pulaski disaster
The Pulaski explodes; from page 170 of the book The Tragedy of the Seas; or, Sorrow on the ocean, lake, and river, from shipwreck, plague, fire and famine (1848) by Charles Elms | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| United States | |
| Name | Pulaski |
| Builder | John A. Robb & Co. |
| Launched | 1837 |
| Out of service | 1838 |
| Fate | Sunk by internal explosion 14 June 1838 |
| Notes | Approx. 128 lost; 59 saved |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Steam packet |
The Steamship Pulaski disaster was the term given to the June 14, 1838, explosion on board the American steam packet Pulaski, which caused her to sink 30 miles (48 km) off the coast of North Carolina with the loss of two-thirds of her passengers and crew. About 59 persons survived, and 128 were lost. Her starboard boiler exploded about 11 p.m., causing massive damage as the ship was traveling from Savannah, Georgia, to Baltimore, Maryland; she sank in 45 minutes.