united states mine rescue association | Tank's Poetry |
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The Hawk's Nest Disaster was not a mining disaster per say, but it has been called the worst industrial disaster in the history of the United States. The incident occurred in 1930 with the drilling of the three mile hydro-electric water diversion tunnel. It was built to supply power to a Industrial complex on the nearby Kanawha River. The tunnel was dug through high grade silica rich sandstone which when drilled produced a very fine dust, that when breathed, was comparable to inhaling finely ground glass particles into the lungs.
The men hired to construct the tunnel were migrant workers desperately traveling Depression Era America in search of employment. The majority of the Hawk's Nest workers were African-Americans. Since the drilling of the tunnel was not technically a mining operation, there were no underground safety regulations in place. The men were working in confined spaces with no ventilation, dust control, or dust masks. Quickly they fell victim to silicosis, the deadly accumulation of silica particles in the lungs. The men were unable to tolerate these conditions for more than a couple of months before they fell ill and had to be replaced. The officials in charge decided the most cost effective way to handle the crisis was not to acknowledge the dangers, stop work and provide safer conditions, but to deny the reality of the situation, keep hiring a steady stream of new workers and complete the tunnel as quickly as possible. The Hawk's Nest Tunnel is still in operation. Water diverted for the tunnel comes from the impoundment on the New River at Hawk's Nest Dam which is visible from the overlooks at Hawk's Nest State Park. Throughout the park, you will find the crumbling remnants and ruins of New River Gorge's industrial past. These are the monuments that remain to remind us of the lives of the people that were the true source of our nation's power. |
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