List of disasters in Poland by death toll

Listed below are the worst disasters in Poland's history, listed by death toll. This list excludes warfare, the Holocaust and intentional acts of destruction, but may include accidents in which the military, Polish or foreign, was involved (e.g. Osiecznica bus disaster - a collision between a Polish bus and a Soviet Army's truck).

Some of the disasters listed here occurred outside of current Polish borders (e.g. the Smolensk Tu-154 crash) or in times when Poland was not internationally recognized (e.g. during the partitions of Poland), but the predominant number of victims were either Poles or Polish citizens.

Over 100 confirmed deaths[edit]

LOT Polish Airlines Flight 5055, 1987 (9 May), Warsaw, 183 killed
Kleofas coal mine disaster, 1896, Katowice (then German Empire), 104 killed
"Barbara-Wyzwolenie" coal mine disaster, 1954 (21 March), Chorzów, 103 killed

40 to 99 confirmed deaths[edit]

Smolensk Tu-154 crash, 2010 (10 April), Smolensk, (Russia), 96 killed, including Polish president Lech Kaczyński, his wife and other political and military officials.
LOT Polish Airlines Flight 007, 1980 (14 March), Warsaw, 87 killed
"Makoszowy" coal mine disaster, 1958 (28 August), Zabrze, 72 killed
Otłoczyn railway accident, 1980 (19 August), near Brzoza Toruńska, 67 killed
Katowice Trade Hall roof collapse, 2006 (28 January), Chorzów, 65 killed
1928 Poland Derecho, 1928, (4 July), 62 killed
Outdoor Cinema fire, 1955 (11 May), Wielopole Skrzyńskie, 58 killed
1997 Central European flood, 1997 (July), western Poland, 56 killed
Górna Grupa mental hospital fire, 1980 (31 October - 1 November), Górna Grupa, 55 killed
MS Jan Heweliusz, 1993 (14 January), Baltic Sea (near Rügen Island), 55 killed
LOT Polish Airlines Flight 165, 1969 (2 April), Polica (near Zawoja), 53 killed
Rotunda PKO Bank explosion, 1979 (15 February), Warsaw, 49 killed

20 to 39 confirmed deaths[edit]

1978 Balkan Bulgarian Tupolev Tu-134 crash, 1978 (16 March), Gabare (Bulgaria), 39 Poles killed (out of 73 total fatalities)
Czechowice-Dziedzice Refinery fire, 1971 (26–27 June), Czechowice-Dziedzice, 37 killed
1962 LOT Vickers Viscount Warsaw crash, 1962 (19 December), Warsaw, 33 killed
PKS Gdańsk bus crash, 1994 (2 May), Gdańsk-Kokoszki, 32 killed
Wilczy Jar buses tragedy, 1978 (15 November), Wilczy Jar (n. Żywiec-Oczków), 30 killed
Warsaw Holy Cross Church Stampede, 1881 (25 December), Warsaw, 30 killed
Grenoble coach crash, 2007 (22 July), Vizille (France), 27 killed
Julianka rail crash, 1976 (3 November), Julianka (n. Częstochowa), 25 killed
Osieck rail crash, 1981 (4 June), Osieck, 25 killed
MS Busko Zdrój, 1985 (8 February), North Sea, 24 killed
Kamień Pomorski homeless hostel fire, 2009 (13 April), Kamień Pomorski, 23 killed
Halemba coal mine disaster, 2006, 2006 (22 November), Ruda Śląska, 23 killed
MS Maria Konopnicka fire in Stocznia Gdańska, 1961 (13 December), 23 killed
Wojska Polskiego 39 Street gas explosion, 1995 (17 April), Gdańsk, 22 killed
Mirosławiec air accident crash, 2008 (23 January), Mirosławiec, 20 killed
MS Kudowa Zdrój, 1983 (20 January), Mediterranean, 20 killed
Wujek-Śląsk coal mine disaster, 18 September 2009, Ruda Śląska – a methane explosion killed 12 in the coal mine and a further 8 would die in hospital^[1]

15 to 19 confirmed deaths[edit]

Balaton coach crash, 2002 (1 July), n. Balaton (Hungary), 19 killed
Halemba coal mine disaster, 1990 (10 January), Ruda Śląska, 19 killed
Biały Jar avalanche, 1968 (20 March), valley on Sněžka mountain (n. Karpacz), 19 killed
Nowe Miasto nad Pilica bus crash, 2010 (12 October), Nowe Miasto nad Pilica, 18 killed
"Mysłowice" coal mine disaster, 1987 (4 February), Mysłowice, 18 killed
B406/6 trawler explosion in Stocznia Gdańska, 1980 (18 June), Gdańsk, 18 killed
Motława, 1975 (1 August), Gdańsk, 18 killed
M/v "Nysa", 1965 (10 January), North Sea, 18 killed
Polish Air Force An-24 crash, 1973 (28 February), Szczecin airport 18 killed
Struga 12 street gas explosion, 1976 (1 February), Gdańsk, 17 killed
Szczekociny rail crash, 2012 (3 March), Szczekociny, killed 16
Ursus rail crash, 1990 (20 August), Ursus (n. Warsaw), 16 killed
Radkowice rail crash, 1973 (27 August), Radkowice, 16 killed
Osiecznica bus crash, 1978 (22 January), n. Osiecznica, 15 killed
Wyszaka streetcar crash, 1967 (7 December), Szczecin, 15 killed

10 to 14 confirmed deaths[edit]

Brandenburg coach crash, 2010, (26 September), Schönefeld (Germany), 14 killed
"Kaskada" restaurant fire, 1981 (27 April), Szczecin, 14 killed
MS Czubatka, 1955 (10 May), North Sea, 14 killed
Krosno Odrzańskie tornado, 1886 (13 May), Krosno Odrzańskie, 13 killed
Izbicko level crossing accident, 1960, (6 January), Izbicko, 13 killed
Storm in Mazury, 2007 (21 August), Mazury (north-eastern Poland), 12 killed
Jeżewo coach crash, 2005 (30 September), Sikory-Wojciechowięta (n. Stare Jeżewo), 12 killed
Reptowo rail crash, 1997 (5 May), Reptowo (n. Szczecin), 12 killed
Bydgoszcz rail crash, 1972 (3 June), Śliesin (n. Bydgoszcz), 12 killed
MS Cyranka, 1956 (4 October), North Sea, 12 killed
ČSM-north coal mine disaster, 2018 (20 December), Stonava (n. Karviná), Czechia, 12 killed
Psie Pole rail crash, 1977 (9 July), Mirków (n. Wrocław), 11 killed (unofficial - 32 killed)
"Jas-Mos" coal mine disaster, 2002 (10 February), 10 killed
Ministry of Interior MSWiA helicopter crash, 1991 (10 January), n. Cisna, 10 killed
Drogomil level crossing accident, 1988 (4 June), Drogomil (n. Bytom Odrzański), 10 killed
Piła rail crash, 1988 (19 May), Piła, 10 killed
MS Brda, 1975 (10 January), Hanstholm (Denmark), 10 killed
"Rokitnica" coal mine disaster, 1971 (23 March), Zabrze, 10 killed
Agricultural University building collapse, 1966 (22 March), Wrocław, 10 killed

Fewer than 10 confirmed deaths[edit]

Bratoszewice level crossing collision, 30 July 2012, 9 killed^[2]
1983 Łódź gas explosion, 7 December 1983, 8 killed
2017 Świebodzice tenement collapse, 8 April 2017, 6 killed^[3]
2019 Koszalin Escape Room Fire, 4 January, 2019, 5 killed
2008 Poland tornado outbreak, 15-16 August 2008, 4 killed
2022 missile explosion in Poland, 15 November 2022, 2 killed
2020 Warsaw bus crash 25 June 2020, 1 killed

References[edit]

^ "Coal mine story - The last relay Photo". TrekEarth. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
^ "Nine killed as minibus and train collide in Poland". BBC News. Agence France-Presse (AFP). 30 July 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
^ "Sześć osób nie żyje, w tym dwoje dzieci. Premier Szydło na miejscu tragedii". TVN24 (in Polish). 8 April 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2020.

[1] "Coal mine story - The last relay Photo". TrekEarth. Retrieved 24 May 2010.

[bbc19045735-2] "Nine killed as minibus and train collide in Poland". BBC News. Agence France-Presse (AFP). 30 July 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.

[3] "Sześć osób nie żyje, w tym dwoje dzieci. Premier Szydło na miejscu tragedii". TVN24 (in Polish). 8 April 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2020.

[1]

[2]

[3]