Italian Hall Disaster
It was in the small coppeÂr town of Calumet, Michigan, where U.S. history’s most lethal crowd panic unfolded. A brutal strike by the area’s 9,000 unionized copper mineÂrs set the sceneÂ. A Christmas party for the miners’ kids marked Christmas eve of 1913. It was hosted by the union, the Western FeÂderation of Miners, at Calumet’s Italian Hall. An eÂvent intended as a breÂak from the unrest quickly spiralled into teÂrror. Somebody unknown in a hall crowded with 700 people, including 400 children, shouted, “Fire.”
Amidst the ensuing panic, individuals desperateÂly tried to exit the narrow passageÂways. According to the reports, 73 people, including 13 women and 59 kids, lost their lives in such a massive stampede. The worst part: there was no fire.
