The direct hit on the large underground shelter in Durning Road, Edge Hill, was the worst single incident in the Liverpool Blitz as regards loss of life. This occurred in the early hours of 29 November 1940, during the heaviest air raid to date. About 300 people were tightly packed into a shelter in the basement of Edge Hill Training College in Durning Road.
When a parachute mine hit the building, it collapsed into the shelter below, crushing many of its occupants. Boiling water from the central heating system and gas from fractured mains poured in. Raging fires overhead also made rescue work extremely dangerous. In all, 166 men, women and children were killed. Many more were badly injured.

"My mother, from the trauma of that night ... never spoke for six months..."
Mr Joe Lucas, who lost two brothers and two sisters in the tragedy.

Durning Road, Edge Hill | National Museums Liverpool

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The direct hit on the large underground shelter in Durning Road, Edge Hill, was the worst single incident in the Liverpool Blitz as regards loss of life. This occurred in the early hours of 29 November 1940, during the heaviest air raid to date. About 300 people were tightly packed into a shelter in the basement of Edge Hill Training College in Durning Road. When a parachute mine hit the building, it collapsed into the shelter below, crushing many of its occupants. Boiling water from the central heating system and gas from fractured mains poured in. Raging fires overhead also made rescue work extremely dangerous. In all, 166 men, women and children were killed. Many more were badly injured. "My mother, from the trauma of that night ... never spoke for six months..." Mr Joe Lucas, who lost two brothers and two sisters in the tragedy.

Durning Road, Edge Hill

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