Episode
The Frank Rockslide
- Podcast
- History Daily
- Published
- Apr 29, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 951
- Processing state
processed- Canonical source
- https://audioboom.com/posts/8894110
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Summary
In 1903, a massive 120-million-ton rockslide obliterated the mining town of Frank, Alberta. This episode follows the harrowing survival stories of trapped miners and a railway worker who prevented a train disaster.
Topics
- Frank Rockslide
- Canadian History
- Mining Disasters
- Natural Disasters
- Alberta
- Turtle Mountain
- Survival Stories
- Geology
Highlights
- Main idea: The catastrophic collapse of Turtle Mountain released 120 million tons of debris onto the town of Frank
- Survival story: Miners trapped in darkness faced rising water and depleting oxygen while digging toward the surface
- Heroic action: A railway brakeman risked his life to manually flag down a passenger train to prevent a collision with the rubble
- Failure mode: Indigenous warnings about the 'mountain that moves' were ignored by settlers before the disaster
- Practical takeaway: The geological instability of the region remained a threat long after the initial slide ended
Chapters
1:00Trapped Underground: Miners face a desperate race against rising water and suffocating air after a mine entrance is buried.8:20The Mountain That Moves: The devastating reality of the peak's collapse and the destruction of the town below becomes clear.6:50Preventing a Train Disaster: A railway worker attempts to warn an oncoming locomotive of the destroyed tracks ahead.13:20Searching the Wreckage: Survivors navigate the splintered remains of their homes in a search for loved ones.16:20The Miners' Triumph: Against all odds, the trapped miners successfully dig a path through the rubble to freedom.19:40The Aftermath: The long-term impact of the landslide and the lingering fear of the unstable mountain.