SS Sansinena

About

SS Sansinena was a Liberian oil tanker that exploded in Los Angeles harbor on 17 December 1976 at 7:33pm. She was docked at berth 46 at Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, California.

The vessel was a steamship built in 1958. At its final port of call, Sansinena had discharged its cargo of crude oil and was taking on ballast and fuel when a massive explosion split the ship in half and obliterated multiple port buildings. The blast shattered windows for miles around, flung the entire midship bridge on the wharf, and triggered a fire that spread across the dock and around the tanker. The Los Angeles Fire Department soon arrived on the scene to contain the blaze and rescue survivors. One of the fires, fed by underground fuel lines, burned for four days.