Why shipboard magazine explosions are rare but memorable

How often did gunpowder explosions occur aboard ships, and what famous or lesser-known examples illustrate them?

They were uncommon because navies worked to prevent them. The examples given are the Battle of the Nile and an unnamed night action in which Spanish ships fought one another.

Navies devoted considerable effort to preventing gunpowder explosions, so they were uncommon in ordinary shipboard service. Famous examples nevertheless appear in many countries' naval histories, especially when ships exploded during battle. The Battle of the Nile is the principal example here. Another recollection concerns an unnamed night action in which two Spanish first rates mistook one another for British ships and fought until they exploded. The action's name is not recalled, so its identification remains uncertain.