This Day in History: 1815-07-31

First railway steam boiler accident kills 13 spectators on this day in 1815. The explosion took place during the demonstration of  Brunton’s Mechanical Traveller in Durham, northern England. The “traveller” locomotive was surrounded at the time by a crowd of curious sightseers, who formed the majority of the victims. The accident was much more severe than many that would occur in later years because the  understanding of safety risks involved in steam engines was  still primitive.