What Disasters Have Happened In Emmerdale?

There have been a number of disasters in Emmerdale, the most notable being the 1993 plane crash, which killed many of the shows main characters, and pulled in 18 million viewers, winning the show a place among the top UK soaps. The crash also saw the name of the village change from Beckindale to Emmerdale, which was an onscreen tribute to the Sugden family.

Ten years after the plane crash, Emmerdale experienced another disaster, which boosted the show's ratings. This time, villagers were put in danger by a storm on New Year's Eve, 2003. Major characters were involved in the storm, and it brought the death of Tricia Dingle, who was crushed beneath a pile of rubble when lightning struck the roof of The Woolpack, causing the chimney to collapse. The storyline caused the show to gain much popularity.

On 13 July, 2006, another major disaster took place in the village, when the King's (a family that were introduced in 2004), showroom exploded, with many of the villagers trapped inside. Villagers looked on in horror as pieces of the house flew towards them. The blast was caused as a result of a gas explosion, and was triggered when the character Noreen Bell opened a cupboard door. Noreen was killed instantly, along with the estate agent David Brown, who was near the cupboard when it happened. Another character, Dawn Woods, was pulled free from the rubble, but died later on in hospital from internal injuries. The blast left other characters seriously injured, though they survived.

Other notable disasters include the collision between a lorry and a bus in 2000, which killed characters Butch Dingle and Pete Collins (Butch was on the bus, and Pete was the driver of the lorry). Two characters have perished in fires (Dave Glover in 1996 and Sarah Sugden, who was killed in a barn fire in 2000). In 2002, Zoe Tate burnt down the vicarage and then later, in 2005, destroyed Home Farm in a gas explosion, as an act of revenge against the King family. In 2005, Max King was killed instantly when the Land Rover he was in burst into flames after ploughing through a brick wall.

Add Comment

Report