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Lehigh Navigation Coal, Inc.
Lansford No. 6 Colliery Explosion

Lansford, Carbon County, Pennsylvania
June 27, 1952
No. Killed - 4

4 Die, 6 Hurt by Explosion in Mine Shaft
Bradford Era Pennsylvania
June 28, 1952

Lansford, Pa., June 27 (AP) -- Four anthracite miners were killed and six injured today in an explosion at the No. 6 shaft of the Lehigh Navigation Coal Company.

Rescue workers found the fourth body tonight six hours after the blast.

The explosion, of undetermined origin occurred at 2 p.m., (EST), shortly after the night shift had begun operations.  The dead miners were "rock men" who do the blasting of the hard coal in the shaft.  The blast occurred in the No. 6 west level, lowest in the shaft, some 1,200 feet from the surface.

The last miner brought to the surface was Peter Staivecki, 26, of nearby Nesquehoning.  His wife, Rose, is expecting their first baby.

Also killed were:
  • Generro DeMichael, 31, Lansford
  • Robert Endy, of the Lewistown Valley section of Tamaqua
  • Robert Rosenbaum, 33, Summit Hill
All three are married, DeMichael and Rosenbaum each have one son, Endy is the father of twins.

The six injured were taken to Coaldale Hospital.  There were no immediate reports of their condition.

They are:
  • Peter Pavlis, 31
  • Joe DeLauretis, 25
  • Serfina Cattivera, 36, all of Lansford
  • Jacob Haas, 36, of Lehighton
  • John Somers, of Summit Hill
  • Robert Mahalick, 30, of Summit Hill
One man, Walter Magee, 60, of Summit Hill, was brought up uninjured.

Probert said the cause of the explosion was not known but may have been the result of escaping gas or possibly the fall of material in the shaft.  He explained the falling material causes a heavy wind that acts with typhoon-like force driving everything before it.

Probert said it was originally thought that two miners were missing but the second man did not report for work today.




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