The eruption that Mt. Pelée is most famous for is the one in 1902 which left only two alive in a city of 30,123 people. Between April 23rd and May 8th of 1902 the volcano destroyed much of Martinique and the entirety of its biggest city, Saint-Pierre. In 1889 it was reported that fumaroles had been reactivated. April 22nd the telegraph cable between Martinique and Guadeloupe was broken. On April 23rd the mountain awoke and sprayed a light cloud of cinders on its western and southern sides.
The next day a column of black smoke 1600-1900 ft high emits from the Etang Sec crater. On the 25th a large cloud of rocks and ash (like the one pictured in the image on the left) came from it but caused 
no major damage. The next day a dusting of ash covered the surrounding area. But this still caused no worry with the authorities. The day after a boiling lake was discovered in its crater and the smell of sulfur was all over the city which was approximately four miles away. From the 28th to the 30th flooding occurs in the Blanche river, the Roxelane river, and the Rivière des Pères, and the black column becomes higher.
no major damage. The next day a dusting of ash covered the surrounding area. But this still caused no worry with the authorities. The day after a boiling lake was discovered in its crater and the smell of sulfur was all over the city which was approximately four miles away. From the 28th to the 30th flooding occurs in the Blanche river, the Roxelane river, and the Rivière des Pères, and the black column becomes higher. Then, on May 2nd, a thin layer of dust covers the entire island, with Prêcheur receiving the brunt of the force. Animals started to die when their food and water sources are contaminated in the storms. The entire island began to audibly shake and tremble. By May 3rd Prêcheur was completely dark. This was when the inhabitants of the island began to take refuge in Saint-Pierre, and when the bugs and snakes fled from the volcano en mass which killed those who did not get out of their way.
On the 5th this really started getting surreal when the sea recede about 100 meters and one wall of the Etang Sec crater collapsed letting lose a deadly mudflow killing the first people, b
etween 50 and 100 was the count. That night the electric grid was damaged which plunged the city into dark chaos. By the morning of the 7th, volcanic lighting had started around the top and the craters glowed effectively causing more panic. The people of the island reacted different ways. Some fled the city and island, many more journeyed to Saint-Pierre searching for safety, and meanwhile the newspapers proclaimed everything was alright in an attempt to stave off the panic driving the city. Although many had already died the worst was yet to come.
etween 50 and 100 was the count. That night the electric grid was damaged which plunged the city into dark chaos. By the morning of the 7th, volcanic lighting had started around the top and the craters glowed effectively causing more panic. The people of the island reacted different ways. Some fled the city and island, many more journeyed to Saint-Pierre searching for safety, and meanwhile the newspapers proclaimed everything was alright in an attempt to stave off the panic driving the city. Although many had already died the worst was yet to come. On May 8th between 3:00 am and 5:00 am mudflows carried away over 800 people. At 8:02 am a thick dark cloud erupted horizontally out of the mountain followed quickly by a giant mushroom cloud emerging vertically. They were travelling at 420 miles per hour. The mushroom cloud may have been more magnificent to watch it was the horizontal cloud which turned out to be the deadly pyroclastic flow. With temperatures over 1075 degrees Celsius it consumed the entire city in less than a minute burning everything and killing everyone. Only two survived: Louis-Auguste Cyparis and Léon Compère-Léandre. It continued to erupt until July 4th, 1905. In that time it killed about 1100 more people.
(Upper Right Picture: Area of Martinique effected by eruption)
