“I did nothing in my studies nor in my life to prepare me for a story of the magnitude of that New London tragedy, nor has any story since that awful day equaled it.” Walter Cronkite
Every man-made disaster and catastrophe has at least six Cascade Events leading up to the final event, the catastrophe according to the Rule of Seven.
This is a quick read of the Cascade Events that led up to the explosion at the New London Schoolhouse, the largest school disaster in United States history.
We examine the Rule of Seven, and how human error plays a role in many catastrophes. Nothing happens in isolation or as a result of a single event. Thus, by learning from history, we can gain insight into preventing a similar catastrophe in the future. Looking at the cascade events leading up to this catastrophe we’ll see how cost-cutting efforts proved fatal.
