Point Ellice Bridge Disaster, Bridge disaster site in Victoria, British Columbia
The Point Ellice Bridge was a railway crossing that spanned Upper Harbour, connecting Bay Street between Victoria and Victoria West. The structure became known to history after a streetcar accident destroyed its original form.
On May 26, 1896, a streetcar carrying roughly 140 passengers broke through the bridge during a celebration and sank into the water. The crash killed about 55 people and prompted stricter safety rules for railways and bridges across British Columbia.
The disaster left a lasting mark on how locals view public transportation, with stories of the tragedy still shared among generations who live near the harbor.
The site is accessible today and lets visitors view the location from the waterfront and learn about the event's importance. Information plaques explain what happened and why it mattered for the development of transportation safety standards.
A memorial on the far side of the harbor honors the victims, marking a place of loss where a new bridge was later built with stronger safety features. The new structure is regularly inspected to ensure such accidents never happen again.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
