Date of Incident: 11 January 1962
Returned to Service: No
While tied up to the pier, the Foxtrot-class (Project 641) diesel-electric submarine B-37 was destroyed by a fire in the forward torpedo room that led to the detonation of torpedo warheads.
Because of planned inspections that day, all the hatches between the compartments inside B-37 were open. B-37's entire crew was killed, either instantly by the explosion or by the deadly fumes. The explosion completely destroyed B-37's first two compartments.
In addtion, the explosion was so great that a second submarine moored next to B-37, S-350, a Romeo-class (Project 633) diesel-electric attack submarine was severely damaged. S-350's pressure hull was cracked by the explosion, causing severe flooding. 11 men drowned in the flooded compartments (the first two compartments were effected), and the remaining crew had to evacuate via S-350's after escape hatch, which was clear of the water, even though S-350's flooded bow was buried in the mud.
Another 10 seamen on a nearby parade ground were also killed.
The total death toll for the accident was 122 people, making this one of the worst submarine disasters recorded.
(Russian language submarine site http://submarine.id.ru; page http://submarine.id.ru/memory/B37.htm )
Return to The Early Cold War
Return to Peacetime Submarine Accidents