1806 220 years ago Historical Events July 18 3 sources

A gunpowder magazine explosion in Birgu, Malta, kills around 200 people.

On July 18, in the year 1806, A gunpowder magazine explosion in Birgu, Malta, kills around 200 people. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of July 18, one of 387 recorded events on this date across all of history.

On 18 July 1806, approximately 40,000 lb (18,000 kg) of gunpowder stored in a magazine (polverista) in Birgu, Malta, mistakenly detonated. The explosion killed an estimated 200 people, including British and Maltese military personnel, and Maltese civilians from Birgu. Parts of the city's fortifications, some naval stores, and many houses were destroyed. The accident was found to be the result of negligence while transferring shells from the magazine.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on July 18, 1806 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 3 Wikipedia articles.
  • The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 21 June 2026.

On This Date in History 387

Type Year Date Event
Notable Deaths 2025 Jul 18 Edwin Feulner, American political scientist (born 1941)
Notable Deaths 2024 Jul 18 Lou Dobbs, American political commentator and television host (born 1945)
Notable Deaths 2024 Jul 18 Abner Haynes, American football player (born 1937)
Notable Deaths 2024 Jul 18 Bob Newhart, American comedian and actor (born 1929)
Notable Deaths 2023 Jul 18 Oommen Chandy, Indian politician, former Chief Minister of Kerala (born 1943)
Notable Deaths 2021 Jul 18 Tom O'Connor, English comedian (born 1939)
Historical Events 2019 Jul 18 A man sets fire to an anime studio in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan, killing 36 people and injuring dozens of others.
Selected Events 2019 Jul 18 An arson attack at the studio of Kyoto Animation in Japan led to the deaths of 36 people.
Notable Deaths 2018 Jul 18 Jonathan Gold, American food critic (born 1960)
Notable Deaths 2018 Jul 18 Adrian Cronauer, American radio personality (born 1938)
Notable Deaths 2015 Jul 18 Alex Rocco, American actor (born 1936)
Notable Deaths 2015 Jul 18 Buddy Buie, American songwriter, producer and publisher (born 1941)
Historical Events 2014 Jul 18 The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant requires Christians to either accept dhimmi status, emigrate from ISIL lands,…
Notable Deaths 2014 Jul 18 Andreas Biermann, German footballer (born 1980)
Notable Deaths 2014 Jul 18 João Ubaldo Ribeiro, Brazilian journalist, author, and academic (born 1941)
Notable Deaths 2014 Jul 18 Dietmar Schönherr, Austrian-Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1926)
Selected Events 2014 Jul 18 The conviction of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who had been found guilty of paying for an underage…
Historical Events 2013 Jul 18 The Government of Detroit, with up to $20 billion in debt, files for the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
Notable Deaths 2013 Jul 18 Vaali, Indian poet, songwriter, and actor (born 1931)
Notable Deaths 2013 Jul 18 Olivier Ameisen, French-American cardiologist and academic (born 1953)
Historical Events 2012 Jul 18 At least seven people are killed and 32 others are injured after a bomb explodes on an Israeli tour bus at Burgas…
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 18 Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, Lithuanian-Israeli rabbi and author (born 1910)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 18 Jean François-Poncet, French politician and diplomat, French Minister of Foreign Affairs (born 1928)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 18 Dawoud Rajiha, Syrian general and politician, Syrian Minister of Defense (born 1947)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 18 Assef Shawkat, Syrian general and politician (born 1950)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 18 Hasan Turkmani, Syrian general and politician, Syrian Minister of Defense (born 1935)
Notable Deaths 2012 Jul 18 Rajesh Khanna, Indian actor (born 1942)
Selected Events 2012 Jul 18 A suicide bomber attacked an Israeli tour bus at Burgas Airport, Bulgaria, resulting in the military branch of…
Notable Deaths 2009 Jul 18 Henry Allingham, English soldier (born 1896)
Notable Deaths 2009 Jul 18 Jill Balcon, English actress (born 1925)
Notable Births 2007 Jul 18 Cameron Boozer, American basketball player
Notable Deaths 2007 Jul 18 Jerry Hadley, American tenor (born 1952)
Notable Deaths 2007 Jul 18 Kenji Miyamoto, Japanese politician (born 1908)
Notable Births 2006 Jul 18 Caleb Wilson, American basketball player
Notable Deaths 2006 Jul 18 Henry Hewes, American theater writer (born 1917)
Notable Deaths 2005 Jul 18 Amy Gillett, Australian cyclist and rower (born 1976)
Notable Deaths 2005 Jul 18 William Westmoreland, American general (born 1914)
Notable Deaths 2004 Jul 18 André Castelot, Belgian-French historian and author (born 1911)
Notable Deaths 2004 Jul 18 Émile Peynaud, French wine maker (born 1912)
Historical Events 2002 Jul 18 A Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer crashes near Estes Park, Colorado, killing both crew members.
Notable Deaths 2002 Jul 18 Metin Toker, Turkish journalist and author (born 1924)
Notable Births 2001 Jul 18 Agustina Roth, Argentine BMX rider
Notable Deaths 2001 Jul 18 Mimi Fariña, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1945)
Notable Births 2000 Jul 18 Sarah Kinsley, American singer-songwriter
Notable Births 1999 Jul 18 Miro Heiskanen, Finnish ice hockey player
Notable Births 1997 Jul 18 Bam Adebayo, American basketball player
Notable Births 1997 Jul 18 Noah Lyles, American sprinter
Notable Births 1997 Jul 18 Fionn Whitehead, English actor
Historical Events 1996 Jul 18 Storms provoke severe flooding on the Saguenay River, beginning one of Quebec's costliest natural disasters ever.
Historical Events 1996 Jul 18 Battle of Mullaitivu: The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam capture the Sri Lanka Army's base, killing over 1,200…

This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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