100. The Catastrophe of the Tay Bridge

Year: 1879

Location: Tay Rail Bridge, UK

Company: North British Railway

Estimated Damage Value: $1.46 million*

In 1879, a tragic event unfolded at the Tay Rail Bridge, UK, resulting in the estimated deaths of seventy-five people and damages worth $1.46 million. During a storm, the bridge gave way, plunging a train and all aboard into the icy waters below, leaving no survivors, with fifteen victims never found.

Sir Thomas Bouch, the architect behind the Tay Bridge, utilized narrower piers and reduced cross-bracing compared to his earlier designs, a decision that proved fatal. The collapse of the bridge in 1879 devastated his career and reputation, leading to his death a year later, marked by tragedy.