Another important Novel set during the explosion: Barometer Rising by Hugh MacLennan,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barometer_Rising
His house was on South Park Street, just North of the Lord Nelson, I remember it being there in the 80's, but is of course now just a memory.
From this report, the MacLennan House was still there in 2011:
http://legacycontent.halifax.ca/coun...8ca1014iii.pdf