The Buffalo Creek Dam Disaster and coal slurry Spill (Documentary)

One of a series of Dams in Buffalo Creek West Virginia failed on the 26th February 1972, causing a catastrophic domino effect releasing Some 130 million gallons of coal waste down onto the residents 250 ft below.

The disaster wiped out many communities in the region leaving a cost of $50 million in property and $15 million in highway damage but more importantly 118 lives lost and nearly 5,000 made homeless.

Scarily the event was strikingly similar to the 1966 Aberfan disaster in Wales.

Disasters like these are fascinating as the lack of design principles resulted in so much horror for the residents nearby.