The Exploding Whale of Florence, Oregon

"Exploding Whale"

You may have heard about the exploding dead whale of Florence, Oregon. You might even have seen some pictures, but not these. In 1970, a dead sperm whale was blown up by the Oregon Highway Division in Florence in an attempt to dispose of its rotting carcass. The resulting explosion was caught on film by KATU-TV photographer Doug Brazil and reporter Paul Linneman for a story reported by news.