The Great Smog of London: When the City Became a Death Trap

In December 1952, London was enveloped in a toxic fog so thick that visibility dropped to just a few feet. People couldn't see their own hands in front of their faces. Traffic stopped because drivers couldn't navigate the streets. Pedestrians got lost walking home. And within five days, approximately 12,000 people were dead - though some estimates suggest the death toll eventually reached 30,000 or higher. It remains one of the deadliest air pollution events in history, and it wasn't a natural disaster - it was caused by burning coal combined with meteorological conditions that trapped the toxic air over the city.

The smog formed when London's cold weather prompted residents to burn massive amounts of coal for heating. The burning coal released sulfur dioxide, soot, and other ...