Today in History: December 3, toxic gas leak kills thousands in Bhopal

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 3, the 338th day of 2024. There are 28 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 3, 1984, a cloud of methyl isocyanate gas escaped from a pesticide plant operated by a Union Carbide subsidiary in Bhopal, India, causing an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 deaths and more than 500,000 injuries.

Also on this date:

In 1947, the Tennessee Williams play “A Streetcar Named Desire” opened on Broadway.

In 1967, a surgical team in Cape Town, South Africa, led by Dr. Christiaan Barnard (BAHR’-nard) performed the first human heart transplant on Louis Washkansky, who lived 18 days with the donated organ from Denise Darvall, a 25-year-old bank clerk who had died in a traffic accident.

In 1979, 11 people were killed in a crush of fans at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Coliseum, where the British rock group The Who was performing.

In 1989, U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev concluded two days of positive bilateral discussions in Malta in a symbolic end to the Cold War.

In 2015, Defense Secretary Ash Carter ordered the armed services to open all military jobs to women, removing the final barriers that had kept women from serving in combat.

Today’s Birthdays: Singer Jaye P. Morgan is 93. Rock singer Ozzy Osbourne is 76. Rock singer Mickey Thomas is 75. Actor Daryl Hannah is 64. Actor Julianne Moore is 64. Olympic figure skating gold medalist Katarina Witt is 59. Actor Brendan Fraser is 56. Singer Montell Jordan is 56. Actor Holly Marie Combs is 51. Actor/comedian Tiffany Haddish is 45. Actor Anna Chlumsky (KLUHM’-skee) is 44. Actor Amanda Seyfried is 39. Rapper Lil Baby is 30. Actor Jake T. Austin is 30.