(From Bureau of )fines report, by J. W. Paul, E. R. Sutton, and G. T. Powell)
About 7:30 a.m., when most of the men were traveling to their working places, an explosion caused the death of 62 persons and the injury of 3 others.
Thirty-two men escaped without assistance, and 43 others who barricaded themselves in an unaffected entry were rescued 3½ hours later. The explosion was followed by a fire in the airshaft. A flreboss examination had been made; but the entries in the record were unintelligible, and the man was killed. After 2 hours the fire was extinguished, and the fan started exhausting.
Rescue crews found 18 men overcome, 8 of whom died after rescue. Rescue and recovery consumed 2 days and nights, as the fire in the airshaft rekindled and had to be fought again by men with breathing apparatus. The explosion originated near an entry face, where gas was ignited by an open light.
Gas accumulated because line brattices and curtains in that section were not in place. Dust spread the explosion. With normal ventilation gas was not in evidence, and little regard was given to the danger of an ignition.
Source:
Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the United States - Volume I
