Cali explosión, Military catastrophe in downtown Cali, Colombia
Cali explosion refers to a catastrophic detonation that occurred in downtown Cali when military trucks carrying explosives ignited, creating a massive crater and destroying a large area of the city. The blast damaged numerous city blocks across several neighborhoods.
The detonation occurred on August 7, 1956, during the presidency of Gustavo Rojas Pinilla and destroyed a significant portion of the city center. This event ranks among the worst catastrophes in Cali's history.
The central cemetery holds a mass grave for those lost in the explosion, marked by an iron cross between streets 25 and 26. This site remains a place where people come to remember and pay their respects.
The site is now part of the living city and can be explored on foot, with the affected neighborhoods still identifiable. It helps to gather information beforehand about specific locations to visit the various damaged areas intentionally.
The crater left a visible scar on the urban landscape that still speaks to the intensity of the event today. Some parts of the city show architectural differences between older structures and later reconstructions, marking where healing took place.
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