In thick fog, on the night of October 25th 1960, tankers the Wastdale H and Arkendale H collided in the River Severn off Sharpness, Gloucestershire.
The Arkendale H was loaded with 300 tons of black oil, and the Wastdale H was carrying 350 tons of petroleum spirit. Five crewmen lost their lives when the vessels crashed into a pier of the Severn Railway Bridge, causing a span to collapse onto them. The cargos of oil and petroleum exploded, and witnesses spoke of the river being ablaze.
Firefighters from across Gloucestershire attended the incident, but the chief officer denied them permission to try to reach the stricken vessels due to the dreadful conditions.
They reached the wrecks at first light the following day to search for survivors, though without success. The bridge was never repaired and demolished in the late 1960s. The wrecks of the boats can still be seen at low tide and serve as a reminder of the tragic events more than 60 years ago.