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Only Disasters in the Building

Only Disasters in the Building

By Only Disasters in the Building

Engineering students from the University of Northern British Columbia discuss disaster events throughout history. This is part of a second-year design course that strives to learn from past disasters to improve design, and is based on the book by Henry Petroski "To Engineer is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design".

Comments by the students and hosts are meant for educational purposes, and do not constitute engineering analysis or advice.

unbc.ca/engineering
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S4 E13 Teesta Dam Failure - Shivi and Muskaan

Only Disasters in the BuildingMar 28, 2026
00:00
26:15
S4 E13 Teesta Dam Failure - Shivi and Muskaan

S4 E13 Teesta Dam Failure - Shivi and Muskaan

UNBC Engineering students present their analysis of the 2023 Teesta III Dam failure in North Sikkim, India.

Mar 28, 202626:15
S4 E12 Wang Fuk Court Fire - Christopher and Remi

S4 E12 Wang Fuk Court Fire - Christopher and Remi

UNBC Engineering students present their research into the 2025 Wang Fuk Court fire in New Territories, Hong Kong.

Mar 28, 202616:03
S4 E11 Iron Workers Memorial Bridge - Clea and Gabby

S4 E11 Iron Workers Memorial Bridge - Clea and Gabby

UNBC Engineering students present their research into the 1958 collapse of the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge spanning Burrard Inlet between Vancouver and the North Shore.

Mar 28, 202616:14
S4 E10 Surfside Condo Collapse - Colby and Joel

S4 E10 Surfside Condo Collapse - Colby and Joel

UNBC Engineering students present their research into the 2021 collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium building in Surfside, Florida.

Mar 28, 202620:06
S4 E9 Morandi Bridge Collapse - Alen and Godsen

S4 E9 Morandi Bridge Collapse - Alen and Godsen

UNBC Engineering students present their research on the 2018 collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, Italy.

Mar 28, 202624:38
S4 E8 Taean Korea Crude Oil Spill - Faith and Amber

S4 E8 Taean Korea Crude Oil Spill - Faith and Amber

UNBC Engineering Students present their research into the 2007 crude oil spill off the shore of a sensitive coastline in South Korea.

Mar 28, 202618:38
S4 E7 Ronan Point Collapse - Keegan and Joel

S4 E7 Ronan Point Collapse - Keegan and Joel

UNBC Engineering students present their research on the 1968 collapse of the Ronan Point apartment building.

Mar 28, 202623:36
S4 E6 Rana Plaza Collapse - Sebastian, Brandon and Qadir

S4 E6 Rana Plaza Collapse - Sebastian, Brandon and Qadir

UNBC Engineering students present their research on the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh.

Mar 27, 202620:51
S4 E5 Silver Bridge Collapse - Gabe, Liam and Brennan

S4 E5 Silver Bridge Collapse - Gabe, Liam and Brennan

UNBC Engineering students present their research on the collapse of the historic Silver Bridge over the Ohio River in 1967.

Mar 27, 202616:23
S4 E4 Fukushima Nuclear Disaster - Sage and Ranz

S4 E4 Fukushima Nuclear Disaster - Sage and Ranz

UNBC Engineering students present their research on the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.

Mar 27, 202621:25
S4 E3 Deepwater Horizon - Alefa, Myka, and Caleb

S4 E3 Deepwater Horizon - Alefa, Myka, and Caleb

UNBC Engineer students present their research on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster of April 2010.

Mar 27, 202626:36
S4 E2 Bearspaw Watermain Kameryn and Everett

S4 E2 Bearspaw Watermain Kameryn and Everett

UNBC Engineering students present their research on the Bearspaw Watermain break in Calgary, Alberta.

Mar 27, 202623:29
S4 E1 911 World Trade Centre Jakob and Daniel

S4 E1 911 World Trade Centre Jakob and Daniel

UNBC Engineering students present their research into the World Trade Centre disaster of September 11, 2001.

Mar 27, 202616:46
S3 E9 - The Columbia Shuttle Disaster - Jason, Daniel and Ethan

S3 E9 - The Columbia Shuttle Disaster - Jason, Daniel and Ethan

UNBC Engineering students discuss their research into the events leading up to, and during, the Columbia Space Shuttle disaster in 2023.

Mar 19, 202524:18
S3 E8 - Rideau Street Sinkhole - Matyas and Braden

S3 E8 - Rideau Street Sinkhole - Matyas and Braden

UNBC Engineering students discuss their research into the events leading to the 2016 collapse of a portion of Rideau Street in Ottawa, Ontario.

Mar 19, 202522:31
S3 E7 - Kurenivka Dam Failure - Cameron and Pavlo

S3 E7 - Kurenivka Dam Failure - Cameron and Pavlo

UNBC Engineering students discuss their research into the historic failure of the Kurenivka Dam in Kyiv, Ukraine.

Mar 19, 202517:22
S3 E6 - McDonnell Douglas DC-10 - Logan and Andrew

S3 E6 - McDonnell Douglas DC-10 - Logan and Andrew

UNBC Engineering students discuss their report on the DC-10 which had some serious failures after production.

Mar 19, 202517:33
S3 E5 - St. Francis Dam Failure - Prisha, Abigail and Yuchan

S3 E5 - St. Francis Dam Failure - Prisha, Abigail and Yuchan

UNBC Engineering students discuss their report on the 1928 failure of the St. Francis Dam in Los Angeles, one of the worst civil engineering failures of the 20th century.

Mar 19, 202521:49
S3 E4 - Sampoong Department Store Collapse - Cameron, Wesley and Arjun

S3 E4 - Sampoong Department Store Collapse - Cameron, Wesley and Arjun

UNBC Engineering students research the events leading to the collapse of a department store in Seoul, South Korea in 1995.

Mar 19, 202518:50
S3 E3 - The Oceangate Titan Submersible - Richard and Cale

S3 E3 - The Oceangate Titan Submersible - Richard and Cale

UNBC Engineering students explore the events leading up to the tragic implosion of the Titan submersible in the waters off of Newfoundland in 2023.

Mar 19, 202522:53
S3 E2 - The Grover Shoe Factory Disaster - Taryn, Grace and Abigail

S3 E2 - The Grover Shoe Factory Disaster - Taryn, Grace and Abigail

UNBC Engineering students discuss their research into the events leading up to the explosion that levelled the R.B. Grover shoe factory in 1905.

Mar 19, 202521:08
S3 E1 - The Teton Dam Failure - Graeme, Kyle and Tommy

S3 E1 - The Teton Dam Failure - Graeme, Kyle and Tommy

UNBC Engineering students talk about their research into the Teton Dam failure in 1976.

Mar 19, 202517:13
S2 E10 - Hillsborough Stadium - Bruno and Bastille

S2 E10 - Hillsborough Stadium - Bruno and Bastille

UNBC engineering students discuss the events leading to multiple deaths of 97 Liverpool FC fans at Hillsborough Stadium in 1989.

Apr 06, 202422:06
S2 E9 - Quebec Bridge Disaster - Arjun and Haruka

S2 E9 - Quebec Bridge Disaster - Arjun and Haruka

UNBC engineering students Arjun and Haruka discuss the multiple failures of a bridge over the St. Lawrence river in 1907 and 1916.

Apr 05, 202424:28
S2 E8 Sri Lanka Railway - Andy and Brady

S2 E8 Sri Lanka Railway - Andy and Brady

UNBC engineering students Andy and Brady discuss the events surrounding the rail disaster in Sri Lanka caused by a tsunami.

Apr 04, 202418:49
S2 E7 - Maidstone Pipeline - Aidan

S2 E7 - Maidstone Pipeline - Aidan

UNBC engineering student Aidan discusses the oil pipeline leak near Maidstone, Saskatchewan.

Apr 03, 202423:03
S2 E6 - Three Mile Island Nuclear Disaster

S2 E6 - Three Mile Island Nuclear Disaster

UNBC engineering students Nathan and Carter discuss the Three Mile Island nuclear disaster.

Apr 02, 202422:50
S2 E5 - Canterbury TV Building Collapse - Emma and Asiah

S2 E5 - Canterbury TV Building Collapse - Emma and Asiah

UNBC engineering students Emma and Asiah discuss the collapse of the Canterbury TV building in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Apr 01, 202422:35
S2 E4 - Nestucca Oil Spill - Mya and Jordan

S2 E4 - Nestucca Oil Spill - Mya and Jordan

UNBC engineering students Mya and Jordan discuss the oil spill from the Nestucca oil barge off the Washington state coast in 1988.

Mar 31, 202421:06
S2 E3 Granite Mountain Mine - Norah and Carter

S2 E3 Granite Mountain Mine - Norah and Carter

University of Northern BC Engineering students Norah and Carter discuss the Granite Mountain Mine tragedy.

Mar 30, 202427:04
S2 E2 - Flint Water Crisis - Tim and Quinn

S2 E2 - Flint Water Crisis - Tim and Quinn

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Tim and Quinn discuss their report on the Flint, Michigan water crisis.

Mar 29, 202426:30
S2 E1 - Cyanide Spill at Baia Mare - Emmanuelle and Sarah

S2 E1 - Cyanide Spill at Baia Mare - Emmanuelle and Sarah

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Emmanuelle and Sarah discuss their report on the cyanide spill from the tailings dam at Baia Mare mine.

Mar 28, 202417:18
S1 E8 - The Vajont Dam - Madeline, Katy and Jessica

S1 E8 - The Vajont Dam - Madeline, Katy and Jessica

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Madeline, Katy and Jessica discuss their report on the Vajont Dam disaster in Italy.

Mar 20, 202320:37
S1 E7 - The Florida International University Pedestrian Bridge Collapse - Tyler and Jonah

S1 E7 - The Florida International University Pedestrian Bridge Collapse - Tyler and Jonah

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Tyler and Jonah discuss their report on the 2018 FIU pedestrian bridge collapse.

Mar 20, 202319:10
S1 E6 - The Chernobyl Disaster - Adam and Jeremy

S1 E6 - The Chernobyl Disaster - Adam and Jeremy

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Adam and Jeremy discuss their report on the Chernobyl disaster.

Mar 20, 202317:10
S1 E5 - Mt. Polley - Gavin and Andrew

S1 E5 - Mt. Polley - Gavin and Andrew

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Gavin and Andrew discuss their report on the tailings dam collapse at the Mount Polley mine site.

Mar 20, 202317:31
S1 E4 - Banqiao Dam Failure - Tong and Sam

S1 E4 - Banqiao Dam Failure - Tong and Sam

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Tong and Sam discuss their report on the 1975 Banqiao Dam failure.

Mar 18, 202317:39
S1 E3 - Station Square Collapse - Nioma and Ben

S1 E3 - Station Square Collapse - Nioma and Ben

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Nioma and Ben discuss their report on the 1988 Station Square roof collapse.

Mar 18, 202319:00
S1 E2 - The Vajont Dam - Gabrielle and Kaylen

S1 E2 - The Vajont Dam - Gabrielle and Kaylen

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Gabrielle and Kaylen discuss the Vajont Dam disaster of 1963 in Italy.

Mar 18, 202315:15
S1 E1 - The Hindenburg Disaster - Sandeep and Aur

S1 E1 - The Hindenburg Disaster - Sandeep and Aur

University of Northern British Columbia engineering students Sandeep and Aur discuss their report on the Hindenburg airship disaster.

Mar 18, 202313:15