We The People: This Day in History, November 18
Texas A&M Bonfire Collapse Tragedy
Published: Nov. 18, 2025 at 8:11 AM CST
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KWTX) - On November 18, 1999, a bonfire at Texas A&M University collapsed, killing 12 and injuring nearly 30 people.
The bonfire is a tradition at Texas A&M before the school’s annual football game against its rival, the University of Texas.
The 1999 bonfire was supposed to have 7,000 logs stacked 59 feet high with 70 students working to construct it.
Around 3:00 a.m., logs at the bonfires’ foundation snapped, causing an avalanche, sending students running for their lives.
Cranes were brought in to move logs and help rescue the students.
The last survivor was pulled from the pile about six hours after the collapse.
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