On October 4, 1918, tons of TNT exploded at the T. A. Gillespie shell-loading factory near South Amboy. A minor explosion preceded the series of major blasts that destroyed much of the factory and broke windows for miles around. The explosions began at 7:40pm in what was reputed to be the largest shell-loading plant in the world. 64 people died.

(this is one of the New Jersey disasters)