Busik Disaster

The Busik Disaster was an explosion that occured in Busik, Kingdom of Laurentin, Greater Confederated Kingdoms on the morning of 1 June 2AF (1924). *SCK Persistent*, a *Fervent class* armored cruiser in the process of offloading troops and munitions destined for the Voltarvo conflict, suffered an explosion which in turn set off fires in an adjacent weapons depot, ultimately culminating in the largest manmade explosions in recorded history. 6,297, including King XXX XX, and Crown Prinz XXX XX, who had been within a mile of the depot inspecting forces in the region when the explosion took place, were killed in the largest loss of life in the GCK since the famines of the Volcanic Decade, with an estimated 40,000 suffering injury. The disaster resulted in the inaguration of Queen XXX XX to the Laurentin throne, the GCK's cultural adoptation of Azani Yengiism, the end GCK involvement in the Voltarvo Intervention, and rise of isolationist and pacifist sentiments within the GCK for the next two decades.

### Background

Busik's location at the mouth of the Tuma River and along the *Greck*-Azani border made the town a key staging area for regional merchant traffic. With the start of the Voltarvo Intervention during Foundation Year, Busik became the base of operations & logistical hub for *Grecka* forces setting off on the Tarniw Road across Azan as part of the GCK's efforts at supporting Bakaban's revolutionary forces in the region. From Busic, supplies could travel by road, train or rive to the Tuma crossing, from which convoys could deliver them to Tarniw and into the hands of socialist combatants in Voltarvo. These efforts contributed substantially towards early socialist successes in the conflict, and while the GCK formally maintained neutrality in the conflict as less than a hundred *grecka* personnel were ever in Tarniw at a given time and formally in an observer and advisor role, relations with Pteroslavia soured accordingly.

After the brutal rape of Bragaroult by Pteroslavian artillery in April 1AF (1923), public sympathy for the breakaway Voltarvo region increased proportionately to animosity towards Pteroslavian efforts at recovering the territory. Busik became central to these efforts, with expansion of supply depots, military garrisoning and paramilitary camps for training members of the Volunteer Foreign Revolutionary Army being built in and around the city. By (date in late 1923/early 1924), calls for open and forceful support of the revolutionary cause were increasingly unignorable, and the military command proposed Plan Gordian, which called for a full scale invasion of the Voltarvo region and temporary occupation of the Holy State of Azan to help sweet imperial forces from the region. Plan Gordian was secretly and independently approved by the uff de Laurent royal family with support from First Citizen Nelso Broso as a means of increasing Laurentin political power within the newly established greater confederation and promoting socialist expansion, with plans to begin the invasion in mid June 2AF (1924).

By late May, nearly 20,000 *grecka* troops and members of the VFRA had been garrisoned at Busik, following months of munitions shipments into the region. On 31 May, the uff de Laurent royal family arrived in Busik via train to inspect the preparations for the conflict and receive briefings on the updated warplan.

### Destruction & Loss of Life

The explosion of *Persistent* and subsequent explosion at the Busik Arsenel destroyed over half of the brick structures within a mile of the detonations, and essentially erased downtown Busik from the map.

### Investigation

###### *Spezjudicialkommission-Busik*

Promptly after the explosion, the Bonnhaven government organized a formal inquiry into the disaster. The investigation began on 2 June 2AF (1924), the day after the disaster, when Queen XXX XX issued a royal decree to establish the *Spezjudicialkommission-Busik* (Special Judicial Commission for Busik), a panel of experts and officials from various fields and backgrounds, to conduct an independent and thorough inquiry into the incident. The commission was chaired by General XXX XX, a veteran military leader and a close advisor to the queen. Other members included scientists, engineers, lawyers, journalists, politicians and representatives of civil society groups.

The commission's mandate was to examine the circumstances and causes of the explosion, identify any negligence or wrongdoing by any party involved, assess the damage and losses caused by the disaster, and make recommendations for preventing such incidents in the future. The commission was given full access to all relevant documents, witnesses and evidence, as well as the authority to summon and question anyone related to the case. The commission was also tasked with reporting its findings and conclusions to the public in a transparent and timely manner.

*Spezjudicialkommission-Busik* faced many challenges and difficulties during its investigation. The explosion had destroyed much of the physical evidence at the site, making it hard to reconstruct what had happened. The commission also had to deal with conflicting testimonies, rumors, speculations and accusations from various sources, some of which were motivated by political or personal interests. The SJB also faced pressure from different factions within the GCK and abroad, who had different views and agendas regarding the disaster and its implications.

The commission spent several months collecting and analyzing data, conducting interviews and hearings, visiting the site and other locations, and consulting with experts and authorities. The commission also received input from the public through letters, petitions and meetings. The commission tried to be as objective and impartial as possible, while also being sensitive to the emotions and needs of the victims and their families.

The commission finally released its report on 15 December 2AF (1924), six months after the disaster. The report was a comprehensive document that covered all aspects of the investigation. The report concluded that:

* The explosion was caused by a combination of human error and technical failure. The crew of *SCK Persistent* had failed to follow proper safety procedures when handling volatile munitions on board.
* The explosion was not an act of sabotage or terrorism. The commission found no evidence of any external interference or involvement in the incident. The commission dismissed the claims of some groups that Pteroslavia or other enemies of the GCK had planted bombs or infiltrated agents on board *Persistent* or at the arsenal. The commission also rejected the allegations of some individuals that King XXX XX or other members of his family or entourage had been assassinated or targeted by political rivals or dissidents.
* The explosion was preventable and avoidable. The commission found that there were many lapses and shortcomings in the management and oversight of *Persistent* and the arsenal. The ship's captain and crew had violated several rules and regulations regarding munitions handling and storage. The arsenal's commander and staff had failed to inspect and secure their facilities properly. The military command had neglected to enforce adequate safety standards and protocols for their operations in Busik. The government had ignored or downplayed several warnings and reports about potential risks and hazards.

###### Sabotage Theory & Black Week Lynchings

Almost immediately after the explosion, accusations of sabotage by Pteroslavian agents ran rampant throughout the GCK. These rumors catalyzed graphically along the Greck-Azani frontier, with almost a dozen lynchings & summary executions taking place along the Tuma River frontier the following week by *grecka* border guards and militia groups. Ironically, none of these murders took place within the jurisdiction of the City of Busik.