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It's San Pedro's "Where were you when...?" moment. On the evening of December 17, 1976, the 70,000-ton Liberian oil tanker SS Sansinena exploded in the Outer Harbor of the Port of Los Angeles when a hydrocarbon vapor cloud over the ship's deck was ignited by an unknown source. The blast split the ship in three, triggered an inferno that burned for days, and resulted in widespread damage, shattering windows for miles. Nine people were killed and 46 were injured.
Join the San Pedro Heritage Museum on Saturday, November 7, 2026 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Warehouse Nine Bar (110 E. 22nd St. in San Pedro) for Sansinena Stories! This free community storytelling event will feature a presentation, speakers, and an open mic session to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this catastrophe in our town's history.
We want to hear from you! Share your memory or personal story related to the SS Sansinena explosion by completing a submission form at: bit.ly/sansinena.
Have a piece of Sansinena history? Please bring it with you to show and tell!
You’ll also have another opportunity to purchase SPHM merch benefitting the museum and check out a selection of artifacts from our collection.
Special thanks to our Sansinena Stories event sponsors, San Pedro Today magazine and Warehouse Nine Bar!
Questions? Email us at [email protected].
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Event venue
110 E 22nd St, San Pedro, CA 90731-7202, United States
Tickets
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