The incident occurred at exactly eleven minutes past eleven on 27 November 1944.
The Fauld Crater (also called Hanbury Crater) today.
A simple mistake, such as choosing the wrong tool, can have fatal consequences.
And thats exactly what happened.
In one instant, the entire dump went up into the air in two gigantic mushroom clouds.
Everything within a kilometer of the mine was obliterated.
Flying debris rained down on villages located 10 km away damaging houses and churches.
Altogether around 70 people lost their lives, and some 200 cattle perished.
The explosion was heard and felt 60 km away, and recorded on seismographs all over Europe.
The crater floor is covered by small shrubs and mature trees.
A circular footpath along the rim was created to make the crater more accessible.
Standing beside the rim is a memorial dedicated to those who died in the explosion.
Bombs being stacked in one of the tunnels at RAF Fauld.
Photo credit:David Farquhar/Flickr
Sources:Wikipedia/BBC/East Midlands Geological Society
