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Burnett Mine Explosion

Burnett, Pierce County, Washington
August 28, 1918
No. Killed - 12

USBM Final Investigation Report  PDF Format

See also: Burnett No. 5 Mine Explosion, Dec. 7, 1904
Burnett Mine Explosion, Dec. 17, 1924

From the Google News Archives:  External Link
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(From the Bureau of Mines report by K. H. Chisholm)

An explosion on the 3d level in No. 3 seam at 4:20 p.m. killed 12 and injured 3 others of the 183 men in the mine.

The fireboss was making his last round, and the men had left working places; all but these men from the No. 3 section had reached the rock tunnel or the slope bottom.

A shot in No. 24 breast fired a mixture of gas and dust.  The fireboss who fired the shot, on the run, had reached the gangway and was some distance away before he was caught and killed by the explosion.

The air inby No. 21 chute had been short-circuited by pulling No. 19 and 21 chutes empty.

Explosives used were dynamite and fuse, ventilation was poor, and the coal dust was dry.

Source:
Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the United States - Volume I

The deceased:
  • Gus Fleisher, 36
  • Thomas Flemming, 32
  • Reese Jenkins, 23
  • William Johnson, 42
  • Charles Makkela, 37
  • Otto Makkela, 32
  • George Marich, 28
  • Dan Reese, 52
  • Jacob Sippoia, 43
  • Mike Sladoje, 29
  • Elic Tait, 36
  • Claudius Tomaczat, 43
Source: Washington Mining Fatalities, 1885-1960  (1.1 Mb)  PDF Format




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