Eureka Pit Explosion Nevada Consolidated Copper Company
Ely, Nevada July 7, 1912 No. Killed - 10
While loading a surface drill hole, 10 men were killed by a premature explosion. The cause was not determined, because all evidence was destroyed by the explosion.
The known facts were as follows:
A group of men were engaged in charging the hole, which was in the capping on what was called the Berry High Line level. Holes of this type held a relatively large quantity of powder and were usually loaded by five or six men, who dropped the powder into the hole.
In this case, Trojan powder had been first charged, and there remained, it is believed, five boxes of Hercules Special reported to contain 20 percent nitroglycerin and 20 percent ammonium nitrate. Two boxes were unexploded.
The reason for believing that three boxes exploded is that three craters were blown out in the ground; but it might have happened that the boxes were piled one on another, in which case each crater would represent more than one box.
What actually caused 'the dynamite to explode remained unknown.
Source: Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the United States, Volume III
