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Does this in any way compare to the halifax explosion? Maybe a new record for accidental explosions?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Explosion

The cctv-america link talks about a blast equivalent to 21 tons of TNT at this event, and your link has 2.9 kilotons in Halifax. So Halifax was ~150x this one.

I certainly hope not. There were 2000 fatalities in Halifax.

The Halifax Explosion was during working hours and near one of the most populated parts of Halifax which contributed to the large number of deaths.

The Mont Blanc carried 3121 tons of picric acid, 200 tons of trinitrotoluene, 35 tons of benzol and 10 tons of gun cotton.

12 ophthalmologists treated 592 people with eye injuries and performed 249 enucleations.

British Journal of Ophthalmology had a journal article about the medical treatments that were needed at the Halifax Explosion:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1955605/

I wonder if the different types of glass we use today would reduce that number.

My new word for the day is "enucleation". For the love dogs do not look that one up on youtube.

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