City on Fire

Bill Minutaglio is author or coauthor of eight books, including Dallas 1963, In Search of the Blues: A Journey to the Soul of Black Texas, First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty, and Molly Ivins: A Rebel Life. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Esquire, Newsweek, Outside: The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, and Texas Monthly, among other publications. He has been interviewed on the Today Show, CNN, NPR, PBS, and the BBC. He lives in Austin, Texas.

"City on Fire, [is] Bill Minutaglio's 2003 narrative account of the April 16, 1947 Texas City explosion, one of the worst disasters in American history." - Bryan-College Station Eagle "The definitive work on that event" - KUT News "The disaster has had many stories written about it, but none of them have been told as in the thoughful and easy to read City on Fire...The Book does not treat the event as a news story, but as an account of human suffering, racial problems, industrial carelessness, legal tangles and responsibilities [...] thrilling and illuminating Reading for anyone interested in the event." - The Mexia News

• IntroductionTexas City Police DepartmentThe Priest: April 7, 1947The Voyage: April 7, 1947The Priest: April 8, 1947The Ship: April 8, 1947The Company: April 9, 1947The Ship: April 9, 1947The Priest: April 9, 1947The Ship: April 10, 1947The Mayor: April 10, 1947The Ship: April 10, 1947The Mayor: April 10, 1947The Warning: April 14, 1947The Ship: April 14, 1947The Priest: April 16, 1947, 6:00 A.M.-9:12 A.M.The People: April 16, 1947, 6:00 A.M.-9:12 A.M.The First Words from Texas City: April 16, 1947, 9:12 A.M.The Scientist: April 16, 9:12 A.M.The Mayor: April 16, 1947, 9:12 A.M.The City: April 16, 9:12 A.M.The MayorThe People: April 16, 1947, 9:12 A.M.Photo SectionThe Priest: April 16The Second Explosion: April 16, 10:00 A.M.-MidnightThe President: April 17, 1947The City: April 17, 1947The City: April 18, 1947The Gangster: April 19, 1947The Priest: April 24, 1947The Unknown Dead: June 22, 1947The Mayor: August 23, 1947“United States of America, Defendant”: April 1948The Trial: April 1950“By Direction of the President of the United States”: 1949-1952The King Can Do no Wrong: Summer 1953“Speak Freely”: Fall 1953“Pleased to Advise”: 1954-1955Good People: April 2001Acknowledgments