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Pacific Coast Coal Company
Burnett Mine Explosion

Burnett, Pierce County, Washington
December 17, 1924
No. Killed - 7

Bureau of Mines consultant report  PDF Format
See also: Burnett No. 5 Mine Explosion, Dec. 7, 1904
Burnett Mine Explosion, Aug. 28, 1918


Blast Wrecks Coal Mine; Four Reported Dead
Oakland Tribune, California
December 18, 1924

Tacoma, Dec. 18. -- Four men are dead, two injured and three are unaccounted for, according to a report at midnight from the Pacific Coast Coal Company's mine at Burnett, 29 miles southeast of here, according to a statement issued by N.D. Moore, Seattle, president of the coal company.

The dead:
  • Charles Kirby
  • B. H. Washburn
  • Elmer Crippen
  • Elmer Landis
The injured:
  • Harry Humecke, critical condition
  • R. Lazarus, slightly injured
Missing:
  • E. H. Ridley
  • E. J. Rush
The official statement issued at midnight by Moore said:
An explosion as yet of an unknown origin occurred at 6 p.m. in No. 4 south gangway of the Burnett Mine.  At work in the various parts of the mine at the time were 46 men.  Of these, all but eight were unhurt and soon brought to the surface.

Rescue crews of the Burnett mine at once went into the rescue and these were reinforced by crews from the Bureau of Mines and of the Pacific Coast Coal Company's other mines at Black Diamond, Newcastle and Carbondale.




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