Explosion of The RFA Bedenham - Cause of The Explosion

Cause of The Explosion

The Bedenham had arrived in Gibraltar on 24 April 1951, tying up at Gun Wharf. On the morning of 27 April, depth charges were being unloaded into a lighter when one of them ignited. Several men were organised to fight the fire from the quayside, but to no avail. There was an explosion in the lighter, and the fire spread to the Bedenham, causing a violent explosion in which the bow was blown out of the water and onto Gun Wharf, while the rest of the ship sank.