The 5 Most Horrifying Disasters That Ever Happened In New Mexico

New Mexico doesn’t always make the headlines in the national news and, for the most part, that’s a good thing. The state is generally pretty quiet since it is free of most natural disasters, making it an ideal place to live, and that is why this particular list is on the short side for terrible disasters that have occurred here in the Land of Enchantment. Let’s take a look at some of them, many of which are the worst natural disasters in New Mexico to have occurred ever. 

1. Coal mining disaster in Dawson, 1913

This coal mining disaster occurred on October 22, 1913, and was one of the deadliest of its time. An explosion inside the mine (believed to be caused by dynamite igniting coal dust) resulted in the deaths of 263 miners, many of them immigrants. To this day it's one of the worst coal mining disasters in U.S. history.

2. Coal mining disaster in Dawson, 1923

Almost one decade after the mining explosion that killed 263 miners, another explosion occurred in a Dawson mine. This one took place on February 8, 1923, and resulted in the deaths of 123 miners, many of them the children of miners killed in the previous disaster. That makes two for two on mining disasters in Dawson, which is now one of the creepiest ghost towns of New Mexico.

3. Massive blizzard across the state, 1967

It’s not every day you hear of a blizzard taking place in the desert Southwest but a massive one occurred in mid-December 1967. The storm blanketed New Mexico and Arizona in feet of snow, in some cases reaching rooftops and preventing people from being able to leave their homes for days. This resulted in the National Guard delivering food, water, and other supplies to rural residents. Even so, the storm caused the deaths of 51 people across New Mexico and Arizona. It's not every day you get a blizzard in New Mexico, let alone a bad one.

4. Pipeline explosion near Carlsbad, 2000

In the early morning hours of August 19, 2000, a pipeline owned by El Paso Natural Gas exploded. It reportedly left a crater measuring 80 feet long and 20 feet deep, producing a massive fireball that could be seen from the nearest town, Carlsbad, about 20 miles away. The disaster was caused by severe corrosion to the pipeline and it resulted in the deaths of 12 people, including children and infants, camping nearby.

5. Gold King Mine waste water spill, 2015

This recent disaster originated in Colorado as toxic mine wastewater spilled into the Animas River, eventually moving into the waterways of nearby states Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. The waste contained dangerous heavy metals and toxins, including cadmium, lead, and arsenic. Here in New Mexico, the acidic wastewater reached the San Juan River and affected the water supply to rural communities, especially in the Navajo Nation.

Want to read more crazy history in New Mexico? Check out some of our other articles about notably bizarre events in New Mexico!