5 The Disasters It Happened Because of the Toilet

The Titanic

The Titanic is one of the most famous disasters in history, and it's believed that one of the contributing factors was a problem with the ship's plumbing. The ship's engineers were working on the toilets when the ship hit an iceberg, and the plumbing failure caused the ship to sink faster than it otherwise would have.

The Sewer Explosion of Guadalajara

In 1992, a sewer explosion in Guadalajara, Mexico killed over 200 people and destroyed many buildings. The cause of the explosion was a buildup of gases in the sewer system, which was caused by a combination of factors including a broken sewer pipe and human error in the maintenance of the system.

The Cholera Outbreak in London

In the mid-1800s, a cholera outbreak in London killed tens of thousands of people. The cause of the outbreak was traced back to a single contaminated water pump, which was located near a sewer system that was overflowing into the local water supply. The outbreak led to major changes in the city's plumbing and sewage systems.

The Gas Explosion in New York City

In 1937, a gas explosion in New York City destroyed several buildings and killed over 100 people. The cause of the explosion was traced back to a leaking gas line, which had been damaged during the installation of a new sewer system. The gas ignited when a nearby toilet was flushed, causing the explosion.

The Apollo 10 Space Mission

In 1969, during the Apollo 10 space mission, one of the astronauts accidentally clogged the toilet with a piece of cloth. The resulting plumbing issues caused the crew to consider aborting the mission, but they were able to fix the problem and complete the mission successfully. This incident highlighted the importance of properly functioning plumbing systems, even in space.