|
|
| Successful Mine Rescues in March |
| 1871 |
E. Bast and Company Breaker Boiler Explosion, Ashland, Pennsylvania — Following the boiler explosion at the E. Bast and Company Breaker, Mark Daniels was buried in the scalding, burning debris. Through the almost superhuman efforts of six men, he was rescued from the terrible position in which he was suffering the most excruciating torture and slowly burning to death. Sadly, he died a few hours later, after suffering such agonies as beggar description.
|
| 1881 |
Almy No. 2 Mine Explosion, Almy, Wyoming — After an undisclosed period following the Almy No. 2 mine explosion, two of the white miners were brought out in a crippled condition, and 15 Chinamen were rescued through the ventilating shaft, all of whom were more or less injured.
|
| 1883 |
Stanton Colliery Asphyxiations, Mahanoy Plane, Pennsylvania — At Miller, Hach & Co.'s Stanton Colliery at Mahanoy Plane, a large force of miners and several driver boys were at work in the east gangway when a loud humming noise, such as always precedes the approach of black damp, was heard. This was immediately followed by a strong current of air, which blew out all the miners lights, leaving them in total darkness, and before they could realize their position, they were overcome with the deadly damp. A driver boy and door boy were less seriously affected. The brave little fellows crawled through the darkness to where their mule was standing. Taking hold of his harness, they urged him in the direction of the foot of the slope, when the mule succumbed to the black damp and fell over and on top of the little driver, Patrick Moore, pinning him to the spot. Moore cried for his companion to come to his aid, which he did, but before Moore was released from under the mule, he too fell a victim to the damp. Meantime, the wind forced its way into the gangway, while the damp rushed toward the mouth of the slope with terrible force, and upon reaching the surface threw the cages off the track, tearing some of the boards off the shed covering the mouth of the pit. This gave the alarm to the men on top, and immediately a rescuing party descended the slope. The bodies of the two boys and the mule were the first found. A short distance further on the bodies of nine miners were found lying in the east gangway, which was still heavily charged with the black damp. The 11 victims were soon brought to the surface more dead than alive. Many of them had to be buried in clay for a short time and then removed to their homes. None of them were dead at this point, but their condition was serious. The timely arrival of the rescuing party prevented a terrible disaster, and their escape was considered almost miraculous. The rush of damp was caused by the falling in of an old breast, which forced the black damp into the gangway. Source document 
|
| 1886 |
Uniondale Mine Explosion, Dunbar, Pennsylvania — After an undisclosed period, a rescue party led by Columbus Shay of the Mahoning works, and James Henderson of the Calvin mine managed to get past the flames and smoke to the injured miners. They were lying in every direction buried under masses of debris. Several of them were horribly burned. Their sufferings were terrible. Twelve of them were found almost in a dying condition and two others were dead -- mangled almost into an unrecognizable mass. The names of those killed were John Williams and Joseph Cope.
|
| 1889 |
Black Diamond Colliery Cave-in, Shamokin, Pennsylvania — At one point given up for dead, five of the six miners trapped for an undisclosed period by a cave-in at the Black Diamond colliery at Shamokin, Pennsylvania were rescued alive and well and the sixth would be recovered and brought to the surface. Earlier on the day of the rescue, the trapped men heard a voice shouting: "Are all safe?" The imprisoned miners answered back: "Five are here; one is covered." Source document
The sixth miner, Peter Nearshalsky, was rescued on March 16, after 50 hours of imprisonment. Source document
|
| 1892 |
Unnamed Anthracite Mine Roof Fall Fatality, Schuylkill County, PA — On March 10, when John Traynor, a fire boss in an unnamed Schuylkill County, failed to return from the mine, his wife pleaded with miners to go in and search for him. A party was organized and 12 miners made a thorough search without finding any trace of him. When the news was broken to the wife, she became strangely calm and after a few days she disappeared. A search throughout the village failed to locate her and it was thought that her mind became unbalanced and that she wandered off into the mountains. Her fate remained a mystery until March 14 when a party of surveyors were in the mine. Off in the distance they heard a soft voice singing. When they approached, they realized it was the missing Mrs. Traynor, sitting there in the dark with her dead husband's head in her lap, swaying and singing a love song to him. They gently lifted her up and she screamed a cry and fainted. Both she and her husband were taken to their home. Source document
|
| 1897 |
Kansas and Texas No. 44 Mine Explosion, Huntington, Arkansas — Immediately after the explosion, Mine Superintendent Vail directed the work the work of looking for those unable to walk up the slope. One by one the more seriously injured were brought out and taken to their homes in hacks and wagons. How many of the men are burned internally the doctors could not say, as their efforts were employed solely in dressing their wounds.
|
| Mount Lookout Mine Cave-in Animal Rescue, Wyoming, Pennsylvania — Following a cave-in at the Mount Lookout mine, all but three of 96 mules were rescued, and unless drowned or smothered those three would starve to death as there was no way in which they could be reached. A gang of miners went into the mine and made an investigation. They found quicksand to be forty feet thick in the shaft and where the cave-in occurred it was said to be fully eighty feet or more in thickness and filling the gangways up for more than half a mile in length. It could not be removed as it was almost certain that more will follow. The mine inspectors from the various mining districts in this region met at Wyoming. Late in the day they went into the Mount Lookout mine and proceeded within 100 feet of the pothole. On returning they reported that the gangways are filled with sand and water. They claimed that the mine was safer than it was before the cave-in took place. Source document
|
| 1899 |
Bon Air Mine Cave-in, Leadville, Colorado — Two miners were rescued after being trapped for 13 days following a cave-in at the Bon Air mine near Leadville, Colorado. Fortunately, a large water pipe was not broken and allowed rescuers to communicate with the trapped men and pass them food and water while they sunk a new 200-foot shaft to free them. The trapped miners were Charles Reuss and Bert Froy. Source document
|
| 1902 |
Catsburg Mine Explosion and Fire, Monongahela City, Pennsylvania — The Catsburg Mine of the Monongahela River Coal Company at Monongahela City caught fire from a premature explosion in one of the rooms. Three hundred miners were rescued with difficulty after an undisclosed period, and it was thought all had been taken out. Source document
|
| 1903 |
Nellie V. Mine Cave-in, Victor, Colorado — After being entombed by a cave-in of many tons of rock in the Nellie V. mine on Squaw mountain for seventeen hours, Frank Schreiber was rescued. He was not injured in any way and not any worse for his confinement. Schreiber and his partner went into an abandoned stope in the 60-foot level of the mine on Squaw mountain to prospect. Schreiber's companion escaped the cave-in and went to the Ajax mine for assistance. A large force soon gathered and willing hands were shoveling away the rock with superhuman energy, and fear that life was ebbing from him hastened the lifting of every shovel. A physician was ready to minister to the prisoner as soon as he was released. When the miners rapped on a small pipe, he would also rap in reply. Communication in this way continued until the imprisoned man was taken out. After breakfasting he was ready to return to work. Source document
|
| Scott Shaft Fire, Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania — An overheated journal at the Scott shaft set fire to the tower, and for a time a dangerous conflagration was feared. Ten men were at work in the bottom of the shaft, 800 feet below, and their only means of egress was through the fire. Al Sheets, foreman of the shift, jumped on the cage and was lowered to the bottom, where the men were notified and hastily hoisted to the surface, the flames scorching them as they landed. Source document
|
| 1904 |
Excelsior Clay Mine Inundation, Brazil, Indiana — Twelve rescuers saved 10 miners trapped by a surging torrent in a flooded mine by clasping hands in a long line. The ten men were brought to safety after an undisclosed period, although two were unconscious due to the foul air in the slope where they had sought refuge. The two quickly recovered when they were brought outside. No one was seriously injured. Source document
|
| Madison Mine No. 4 Inundation, Glen Carbon, Illinois — Glen Carbon, a mining town of 1,200, about four miles south of Edwardsville, was demoralized by a cloudburst Thursday night. At Madison Mine No. 4 the presence of cool heads averted a possible panic. The water poured in a flood into the boiler room and rose rapidly. Soon the stream was a couple of feet deep, and as it continued to rise it was feared that the fires would be put out, and all the men marooned in the mine. Orders were given to get them out quickly. The cages shot back and forth at high speed, bringing the workers to the surface. and did not cease until all were above ground. When the engine was shut down at last the water was within three inches of the grate bars in the boiler room. Source document
|
| Unnamed Mine Explosion, Henry, West Virginia — Albert Cronkin, a miner of Henry, West Virginia, was rescued after seven days starvation in a coal mine. He was entombed by an explosion in which three were killed. Cronkin was badly burned, but it was thought he would recover. Source document
|
| 1906 |
Century No. 1 Mine Explosion, Century, West Virginia — Within one hour after the accident Superintendent James Ward had a relief gang in the mine. The first trip out brought ten men, five dead and five badly burned. During the second expedition, twenty injured men were making their way towards the bottom of the shaft and were brought to the surface by the rescuers.
|
| 1907 |
Homestake Mine Fire, Lead, South Dakota — A fierce fire was raging in the great Homestake mine at Lead. Following an undisclosed period, twelve miners were rescued with great difficulty after having been overcome with gas and smoke. The fire started in the stables located in the 600-foot level and it soon imprisoned 12 miners who were working beyond. After burning nine horses to death the flames spread quickly to the timbered slopes between the Highland shaft and the Star hoist. Source document
|
| 1908 |
Bunker Hill and Sullivan Mine Cave-in, Wardner, Idaho — Paul Emmanuelson, the timberman who was imprisoned at the Bunker Hill and Sullivan mine at Wardner, Idaho, by the caving in of an abandoned stope, was rescued alive after thirty hours. His companion was rescued late the previous evening. Source document
|
| Sutro Tunnel Animal Rescue, Dayton, Nevada — Here's a mine rescue with a different twist. Buried for 30 years in the heart of Davidson mountain, on the Comstock, twelve mules which had been used on the Sutro tunnel's ore-carrying railroad were brought to the surface for the first time. In the future, electricity would furnish the power for ore carrying, and the mules would never be returned to the 1,700-foot level of the shaft. The animals stood in the blinding snow storm blinking at the unusual scenery and in their fright tried to stampede. Their faithful service was ended and they would be placed on a fertile pasture near Dayton. The mules saved the entire town of Virginia from starvation in 1890, when the great snowstorms cut the camp off from outside communication. Supplies were hauled to the hoist underground and then lifted to the hungry inhabitants. Source document
|
| 1909 |
Los Angeles Aqueduct Cave-in, Pinto, California — After being buried alive for four days, John Marconi resumed his duties as a miner on the Los Angeles aqueduct, having returned to work 24 hours after his rescue. Timbering collapsed in Tunnel No. 40 at Pinto, California. Marconi's escape was cut off by a bank of sand, thirty feet thick. A two-inch pipe was driven through the sand and air admitted to his dungeon. For four days and nights aqueduct employees worked at the bank of sand, but it ran like water and little progress was made. Marconi was rescued on March 12th, he took one day's rest and then returned to work. Source document
|
| Erie Coal Explosion and Fire, Port Blanchard, Pennsylvania — An explosion of gas occurred in the colliery of the Erie Coal Company at Port Blanchard. A fire followed the explosion and sixty miners were entombed back of the fire. After several hours they were all out alive. Source document
|
| St. Patrick Mine Cave-in, Murray, Utah — After enduring the horrors of an underground prison with death at their elbows for 50 hours, George and Jerry Peterson were dragged through an 18-inch hole to freedom and safety. They were blindfolded, wrapped in blankets, refreshed with hot coffee and hurried home. The incident began when the roof of the drain tunnel on the St. Patrick property, four miles east of Murray, gave way and a huge mass of earth blocked the passage 160 feet from its mouth. The Petersons were on the wrong side of the cave-in. Warned by previous experience, they had with them a long pipe two inches in diameter. They drove this tube through the debris to secure ventilation and undertook to burrow out. Their digging was useless for the loosened earth ran down faster than they could remove it. At supper time they were missed and their predicament was soon learned. Ranchmen and a miner formed a relief party which set to work and labored heroically night and day. Hope grew high as the barricade was reduced to a few feet, only to vanish as fresh masses of shale rumbled down from the insecure roof. The prisoners, although supplied with air through the pipe, were weak from hunger, chilled by the water which rose to their knees and terrified by the constant peril of instant burial. When the rescuers had removed but two or three feet of the obstruction, they were driven back 15 feet by a new earthfall. News of the new danger spread and brought to the rescue work the chief engineer of the Newhouse mining staff. Heavy timbers were brought from Murray, four miles away. Timber after timber was sent into place and progress was slow but there were no more retreats. Daylight finally burst into the tunnel prison. Fearing delay, Mr. Johnson told the imprisoned men to stick their feet out. Muddy boots appeared in the opening and in a moment, George Peterson was being brushed and hugged by his friends. Jerry, who was rescued in the same manner, insisted on walking to the works. Source document
|
| 1910 |
McTurks Colliery Cave-in, Girardville, Pennsylvania — John Meducas was rescued from behind hundreds of tons of coal in a breast at McTurks Colliery, where he had been imprisoned for 36 hours. Meducas spent the entire time in the dark since he lost his lamp when the rush of coal first occurred. Except that he suffered slightly from hunger and thirst, he experienced no ill effects from his thrilling experience. Source document
|
| Gardner Mine Fall of Person, Bisbee, Arizona — Falling a considerable distance down a manway at the Gardner shaft, A. D. Creamer, a miner, was rendered unconscious and for a time it was feared he was seriously injured. After an undisclosed period he was removed to the surface and conveyed in an ambulance to the Copper Queen hospital where he regained consciousness. An examination showed that no bones were broken, but he was still suffering from the shock. His bodily injuries amounted to only a few scratches. At about the same time as the accident at the Gardner, Peter Hirgo, at the Lowell shaft, was overcome by gases in the mine and was rendered unconscious. He was also revived at the hospital and went home later. Source document
|
| 1911 |
Elba Mine Cave-in, Gilbert, Minnesota — Captain Benny and two miners were entombed 250 feet down in the Elba mine. After an undisclosed period described only as "hours", Captain Benny was rescued alive and taken to his home. His condition was reported as extremely critical. William J. Stone, an Englishman, and Joseph Bovich, an Austrian, are the men who lost their lives. Source document.
|
| 1912 |
Following an explosion and cave-in, a total of 25 workmen were rescued after an undisclosed period from the San Bois No. 2 coal mine near McCurtain, Oklahoma. Of the last 14 rescued, three had to be removed by stretcher. They were located in a small area where they had placed a curtain to exclude foul air. Tapping sounds through a water pipe led to their discovery. 73 miners perished in the disaster. Source document 
|
| Bast Colliery Cave-in, Ashland, Pennsylvania — Two miners, Peter Orbitsky and Stephen Muskah, were rescued after an 8-hour entrapment following a cave-in in the Bast Colliery at Ashland, PA. Both men were in a state of utter collapse with just enough strength to fall upon the necks of their deliverers in a hysteria of joy when reached. Source document
|
| Richards Colliery Fall of Person, Shamokin, Pennsylvania — After Mary Doyle, a 17-year-old schoolgirl, had fallen 100 feet down a mine breach near the Richards colliery, she found herself in total darkness, almost frightened to death, and covered with bruises. She had been walking along a mountain path, talking to several girlfriends, when the path caved in. She was in the lead, and as she sank from sight, her companions barely escaped. Close behind the girls was John Rack, a miner, on his way home from work. Hearing Miss Doyle's friends call for help, he ran to the scene, called to the missing girl, and was overjoyed to hear her faintly answer. She told him she had fallen a long distance but did not think any of her limbs had been broken. Rack told her to remain as quiet as possible, whereupon he ran to a house and procured a clothesline. Again, reaching the cave-in, he lowered one end of the rope to Miss Doyle, who faintly told him she was too weak to tie it about her. Several miners appeared, tied the rope about Rack and lowered him fully 100 feet, until he found the girl, who had become unconscious. He tied the rope about her and had the men pull her up, after which he also was drawn to the surface. Miss Doyle was resuscitated and taken home, where doctors found, she was badly bruised. Source document
|
| 1913 |
Scranton Mine Fire, Charleston, West Virginia — Forty men were rescued with difficulty from the Scranton Mine of the Paint Creek Collieries Company after the fan-house was destroyed by fire. The damage occurred within an hour after orders had been issued for the withdrawal of part of the military on duty in the coal country of Kanawha county, where martial law had reigned for almost two months because of the strike of miners. The fire ate into the workings and at a late hour was burning 300 feet from the mouth of the mine along the main entry. Source document
|
| 1914 |
Hickory Ridge Mine Cave-in, Shamokin, Pennsylvania — Rescuers penetrated a breast at the Hickory Ridge Mine and recovered the body of John Mrowka, a miner, who had been entombed since the day before with Paul Poplaski, his partner. Poplaski was brought to the surface earlier in the day in a dying condition following an undisclosed period. The men had been imprisoned in a gangway by the roof collapsing. Source document
|
| 1915 |
On March 2, 1915, an explosion occurred at the Layland No. 3 Mine in Layland, West Virginia. The explosion occurred at 8:30 a.m., resulting in the deaths of 114 men inside the mine and 1 outside. Fifty-four men afterward escaped alive from the mine. Seven came out from 2 to 5 hours after the explosion; 5 more escaped unassisted at 8 a.m. on March 6 (4 days later), and 42 others were rescued an hour later. Of those killed, 44 died from suffocation. The store porter passing the drift mouth at a distance of 100 feet at the time of the explosion was hurled against a post and killed.
|
| Sesser No. 1 Mine Fire, Sesser, Illinois — 95 miners were rescued from behind a barricade two hours after a fire in the Sesser mine in Illinois. There were no fatalities in this incident. Source document
|
| Lost Boys Found in Abandoned Mine, Banksville, Pennsylvania — When searchers, peering into the dark recesses of an abandoned coal pit, lighted only by their pit-lamps, saw a young boy staggering toward them, dragging a limp form that might have been a sack, a search that had continued a week ended and a ghastly tragedy came to light. The boy who dragged his burden toward the dim flicker of the pit lamps was Albert Tomlinson, 10 years old, of Banksville. The limp form was Willie Hale, a five-year-old playmate. "Willie is dead." the searchers heard the elder boy sob. Almost starved when found, bruised and cut from contact with sharp slate and coal as he had groped about in the unlighted worklng, the boy quickly lapsed unconscious. He was hurried to St Joseph's Hospital for treatment. The boys had been lost for 8 days in the mine. The Banksville entry of the abandoned mine was in the back yard of the Tomlinson home. Although within probably 200 yards of home, young Tomlinson and his companion had not been able to find their way out of the working, and even daily searches of the pit by members of the family and neighbors had been futile. Source document
|
| 1916 |
King Mine Explosion, Kimball, West Virginia — Following the explosion, rescuers worked throughout the morning to free a large number of miners. Masses of coal and slate and cut off their escape. At 2 p.m., it was stated that all the men who had entered the mine had been accounted for.
|
| 1917 |
Unnamed Anthracite Mine Cave-in, Wiconisco, Pennsylvania — Samuel Snyder became trapped when the top fell and a rush of coal covered him completely. When help arrived it took four hours to get him uncovered. The only thing that kept Snyder from smothering was the
fact that the coal that covered him was in large lumps, which allowed some ventilation. Snyder was unconscious when uncovered, but soon became responsive. Source document
|
| 1918 |
Alden Coal Mine Cave-in, Nanticoke, Pennsylvania — Adam Krezinski was rescued from his three-day-entombment in the mines of the Alden Coal Company following a cave-in that trapped both he and his laborer, Andrew Bartek. Bartek was rescued at about 11 o'clock a.m. the previous day, ending his two-day-entrapment. Company doctors who attended Krezinski said that he would recover. Source document
|
| 1919 |
Indian Ridge Colliery Cave-in, Shenandoah, Pennsylvania — Stiney Narbut, a 36-year-old contract miner was buried alive for several hours at Indian Ridge Colliery. Although seriously injured, he directed the rescue work, but lost consciousness as he was being taken from beneath several tons of coal. An examination at the State Hospital showed that he had sustained internal injuries. Source document
|
| South Willis Mine No. 7 Fall of Person, Morristown, Washington — Victim was standing on a pile of timber just below the battery with his partner passing timber to him when one of the posts, supporting the timber on which he was standing, fell out, allowing him to fall down the pitch, which was about 60 degrees. The timber striking him, bruising his chest, face and ribs. He was removed to his home as soon as possible where he died 5 days later from pneumonia, which set in as a result of the accident.
|
| 1920 |
Eastbrook Colliery Asphyxiation, Pottsville, Pennsylvania — Overcome by gas, Jacob Slonine, a miner, fell 135 feet down a manway at the Eastbrook Colliery and may survive his injuries, although he was in serious condition. Slonine had fired a blast and not waiting long enough for the smoke and fumes to clear away he was overcome and staggered into the manway. Source document
|
| 1922 |
Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine Cave-in, Grass Valley, California — Three miners entombed on the 1,000-foot level of the Idaho-Maryland gold mine were rescued uninjured after having been buried for fourteen hours. Source document
|
| Cortez Mine Fall of Persons, Picher, Oklahoma — Two miners were killed and two were injured when a can
bumped while descending the shaft at the Cortez mine in northeast Picher. Charles Ross, 36, and Frank Smalley were hurled from the can and fell a distance of about 100 feet to the bottom of the shaft, being instantly killed. Jake Blenzor was rescued from death by Roy Harris, who was the only one of the four men to remain in the can. Harris caught Blenzor's foot and prevented him from falling to the bottom. Blenzor suffered serious injuries to his head, but was expected to recover. Harris was slightly injured. They were taken to the Picher hospital. Source document
|
| 1923 |
Arista Mine Explosion, Arista, West Virginia — Lloyd Lypscomb, once given up for dead, was rescued early Saturday from the Weyanoke mine at Arista, and the feeble spark of life, all but extinguished by suffocating gases in which he lay for 15 hours was fanned back to a flame so strong that physicians attending the injured man said he was sure to recover. Rescue of Lypscomb made the death toll of Friday's dust explosion to ten, all of whose bodies were brought up by rescue parties. The remaining 17 workers, trapped when the walls of the mine crumbled, were saved by rescuers. They were only slightly injured. Source document 
|
| Stanton Mine Rescue, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania — On March 21, lost miner James Kowolski was found in the Stanton Mine at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Despite being located by a bloodhound that was lowered into the mine, Kowolski's 4 days of wandering came to an end when he was located by rescuers led by mine superintendent J. B. Pamblyn. He was found 2,000 feet from his working place half naked and semi-conscious. Kowolski's troubles began on March 17 when he started to leave the mine early, complaining to his helper of not feeling well. Source document
|
| Lehigh Coal and Navigation No. 1 Mine Cave-in, Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania — Thirteen miners, entombed behind a fall of rock and earth in the No. 1 drift of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company were rescued after an undisclosed period. They were entombed there the day before when sixty feet of the gangway workings caved in. Source document
|
| 1924 |
Yukon No. 2 Mine Explosion, Yukon, West Virginia — After an undisclosed period following the explosion, six of the thirty-two men in No. 2 mine escaped death, and were rescued by fellow workmen from the No. 1 mine.
|
| Buck Mountain Mine Cave-in, Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania — Stephen Roca, 22, and his two mules were rescued after their 15-hour entombment in the Buck Mountain mine of the Lehigh Valley mining company. Source document
|
| Alden Coal Company Mine Cave-in, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania — Daniel Wallace was rescued after enduring an entombment of eleven hours by a fall of rock in the Glen Alden Coal Company mine where three men were killed on March 11. Rescue squads, working in relays, took out hundreds of cars of rock and coal to reach Wallace. While his injuries were minor, he was suffering greatly from shock. Source document
|
| Henshaw Mine No. 1 Explosion, Henshaw, West Virginia — Rescue workers dug through debris to the three men entombed in Henshaw Mine No. 1, of the Bingahom Valley Coal Company at Henshaw, and found Joseph Madill, 62, dead, and rescued Joseph Madill, Jr., 21, and John Cosier, 30. The men were trapped by a gas explosion for an undisclosed period when they went into the mine to start pumps working. Young Madill and Cosier were exhausted when found. Source document
|
| 1925 |
Peabody Mine Asphyxiation, Riverton, Illinois — Seventeen miners were rescued after an undisclosed period following the detonation of a windy shot in the Peabody mine near Riverton, Illinois. The miners were overcome by the bad air following the explosion. The shotfirer was also overcome and injured in the incident. Source document
|
| 1926 |
In Eccles, West Virginia, ten miners were imprisoned in the Crab Orchard No. 5 mine for 26 hours following an explosion there. The men credited their rescue to the experience and coolness of P. J. Davis, night foreman and the leader of the little band. He had the men build a wall of lumber, stones and soft mud, which experts said, would have successfully repelled the foul air indefinitely.
|
| Morning Mine Cave-in, Wallace, Idaho — Clarence McMurray and Dan Knuppenberg, miners trapped on the 1800-foot level of the Morning Mine for more than 36 hours, were rescued. Rescue workers penetrated the final six feet of rock and debris in less than an hour and the two men were taken from the mine tunnel uninjured, trapped by a cave-in when walls of a tunnel in which they were working collapsed. George Sinew, another miner, escaped at the time of the cave-in. During most of the time the rescuers were able to talk with the two men. Source document
|
| 1929 |
Kinloch Mine Explosion, Parnassus, Pennsylvania — Lawrence Allshouse, aged 28, was found alive and carried from the pit. Still alive after lying in an injured condition for twenty-seven hours, Allshouse was removed to a hospital where it was said he probably would die. He was semi-conscious.
|
| Delano Copper Mine Cave-in, Contact, Nevada — Charles Chambers was rescued alive in a severely shocked condition after workers had tunneled through debris on the 100-foot level for three hours. The rescue squad was directed by faint cries of the victim. Both he and his brother Jack were working together when the tunnel collapsed. No trace of Jack was found in the mass of ore surrounding Charles. Source document
|
| 1930 |
New Peerless Mine Explosion, Helper, Utah — Eight men escaped alive after the blast. A. L. Ross and L. S. King were burned about the face and hands and badly gassed. They owe their lives to Vic Bain and Tony Canrinker, who placed the injured men in a mine car and signaled to have it drawn from the mine, but the apparatus was damaged by the explosion and failed to function. Bain and Canrinker then carried Ross and King toward the entrance of the mine until they encountered fresh air. Others rescued were B. W. Hall, Ole Swenson, Roy Story and Frank Hensley.
|
| Wolf Run Mine Fire, Amsterdam, Ohio — Owing their lives to the desperate work of the Steubenville Fire Department and mine rescue squads, 87 miners were brought out of the mine after barricading themselves for several hours. About a dozen of them were unconscious when carried to the surface. Two rescuers, Sidney Wales and Arnold Horton, collapsed from exhaustion after trampling for miles searching for workmen. Two other miners died in the accident. Source document
|
| G. Pabst Mine Cave-in, Ironwood, Michigan — Caught by a fall of ore in the G. Pabst mine, Steve Barnes was rescued uninjured after two and one-half hours work by fellow employees. Barnes partner escaped the rush of ore and summoned help. Barnes was buried to his shoulders, which made the task of freeing him difficult. Source document
|
| 1933 |
Bootleg anthracite miner, John Cheslock, was rescued from the abandoned Sayre colliery near Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania. In a state of collapse, but conscious, Cheslock was rescued following a 4 day entrapment. Sadly, John Cheslock, Jr., 27, entombed in the abandoned mine near for more than 100 hours after he was trapped by a slide of earth and rock, died in Ashland State Hospital, 12 hours after he was rescued. Mr. Cheslock was trapped in the abandoned working while picking up coal with Stanley Orluskie. Orluskie escaped when he grabbed hold of a ladder as an avalanche of dirt rushed down on them. Cheslock was swept down the untimbered mine hole. After sinking a shaft 775 feet, they finally reached Cheslock. He was removed to Ashland State hospital. First examination of the youth revealed that his injuries were not serious. Physicians at the hospital believed his death was due to shock. Source document 1 Source document 2
|
| 1934 |
Nichols Coal Co. Powered Haulage Accident, Centralia, Missouri — George Noel, 19, suffered a wrenched back
and severe lacerations of the hands after falling sixty feet down a shaft of the Nichols Coal Company where he was working. It was believed that another worker lost control of the machinery which operates the shaft elevator upon which Noel was standing. After an undisclosed period, Noel was taken to the Boone County Hospital. Source document
|
| West Kentucky No. 10 Mine Fire, Wheatcroft, Kentucky — Five men lost their lives during a fire at this mine. Evidently, the fire was discovered by the fire boss, but men were permitted to go into the mine. At one point, a man-trip with twelve men was pushed into the smoke, but all escaped except one man who was later found dead about 70 feet inby fresh air. Of the five persons losing their lives, one was rescued alive after an undisclosed period but died on the way to the surface. The deaths were caused by inhaling carbon monoxide. Evidently, the fire resulted from blasting coal at the face of Room 64 off 10 Right entry, presumably with pellet powder.
|
| Indian Head Colliery Cave-in, Tremont, Pennsylvania — Earl Beard, 30, had a narrow escape from death or serious injury when he was entombed for three hours at the Indian Head Colliery near Tremont. Following his removal from the debris Beard was taken to the Pottsville Hospital where it was found he was only suffering from shock and lacerations. Beard was employed by the Bazley Construction Company, in a stripping operation at the Indian Head Colliery. He was drilling coal at the time of the accident. A fall of dirt and coal occurred, completely burying him. Fellow workers immediately started rescue work to uncover the buried man. Dr. J. W. Schultz, of Tremont, gave first aid treatment and removed him to the hospital, where his condition was reported as good. Source document
|
| 1935 |
Unnamed Coal Mine Cave-in, Starford, Pennsylvania — John S. Korfonta sustained fatal injuries attempting to help rescue Francis R. Yaros from a mine cave-in, Starford, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1935. While Yaros, 21, was close to the face of the coal at the end of a heading of a mine, a rock six feet and a half in diameter and from two to 15 inches thick fell from the roof onto him. The rock lay two feet from the face of the coal between two parallel rows of posts eight feet apart. Only Yaros's feet and ankles extended from under the rock. Frank L. Russell, Jr., heard the crash and went to another heading, where he notified Korfonta, 46, miner; J. Clair Irvin; Joseph C. Resovsky; and another man. Irvin, closely followed by Russell, Resovsky, and the other man, hurried through a crosscut and the heading to the rock and then crawled over it to positions between the rock and the face of the coal. Russell placed a crowbar beneath the edge of the rock, and his companions placed their hands beneath the rock to lift it. Korfonta then reached the rock and began to crawl over it. Another rock, five feet wide and eight inches thick, fell and knocked him aside onto loose slate. Slate dribbled from the roof, and the men feared another fall. After standing aside a moment, Irvin and Resovsky lifted a part of the rock, which had been split by the second rock, from Yaros's legs. Russell and Resovsky then lifted the rock from Yaros's back. Irvin grasped Yaros's ankles and pulled him to the face of the coal. Russell and Irvin then carried Yaros toward the other side of the heading, the roof of which was amply supported by crossbeams, then for 25 feet over a pile of slate to a safe part of the heading. Resovsky remained with Korfonta. Russell ran to the entrance of the mine for help. Irvin returned to the rock and crawled over the loose slate to Korfonta and Resovsky. He and Resovsky then carried Korfonta over the same course to the crosscut and the other heading. In the meantime, Yaros died. Korfonta was placed in a minecar and hauled out of the mine. He died of his injuries that evening. J. Clair Irvin, Frank L. Russell, Jr., Joseph C. Resovsky and John S. Korfonta (posthumously) were bestowed the Carnegie Hero Award for their bravery.
|
| Union Collieries No. 6 Mine Cave-in, Newfield, Pennsylvania — Two miners, entombed 300 feet underground, were rescued by 60 of their follows who dug untiringly for eight hours. The men, Gasper Kern, 51, and Mike Kurmisky, 20, were uninjured but exhausted. They were given first aid and ordered to bed. The pair were trapped in the No. 6 mine of the Union Collieries company at Newfield after tons of rock fell, cutting off their escape. Fellow workers dug for five hours, not knowing whether the men were dead or alive. Finally they heard voices and redoubled their efforts. They dug through 30 feet of debris, about a mile and a half in the mine, before reaching the men. Source document
|
| 1936 |
Gus Brown and his three husky sons rescued Fannie, their pet pony from the family coal mine in Louis Hollow near Crooksville, Ohio. Fannie, trapped 19 days due to a cave-in, emerged sleepily and appeared none the worse for her experience. The pony, led through hastily-driven shafts was taken into the Brown home and given a warm place by the kitchen stove. Source document
|
| 1937 |
Bootleg Anthracite Mine Cave-in, Shamokin, Pennsylvania — After more than 12 hours, six-foot, 330-pound Willie Politis was rescued from tons of earth and rock in a mountain coal hole. This was the second rescue needed for "Big Willie" within a few weeks. Source document
One news article found spells his name William Tavolitis and states he was trapped for 15 hours in the abandoned Burnside mine of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company. Source document
|
| Coaldale Colliery Cave-in, Coaldale, Pennsylvania — Joseph Filowic, a miner at the Coaldale colliery of the Lehigh Navigation Coal Company was rescued after being confined for 3 hours by a fall of top rock. Rescue crews were at once rushed to the scene and worked feverishly to free the man. After being freed, Filowic was able to walk home evidently none the worse for his experience. Source document
|
| Miner Victim of Mysterious Ailment, Locust Gap, Pennsylvania — Bernard Cannon, 33, an employee at Locust Gap Colliery, was found lying unconscious on a mine gangway where he had been working alone. He was taken to the Fountain Springs Hospital, conscious and reported recuperating. The plight of Cannon was mysterious. The man didn't know what happened, whether he collapsed through illness, was overcome by gas or was injured. Surgeons at the hospital, after restoring Cannon to consciousness, began a diagnosis of his condition, but had not determined the cause of his ailment. Source document
|
| Denver Fire Clay Mine Cave-in, Golden, Colorado — Three cold and hungry miners fed nothing but frankfurters through a pipe dragged themselves to safety after being imprisoned 18 hours in a clay mine cave-in of the Denver Fire Clay Company mine. Cheers of 15 other miners echoed through the damp mine as the last of the three, uninjured, wriggled through to greet rescue workers. "Boy, we're glad to get out of that place," they agreed. "It was chilly in there but not cold and the "weinies" helped a lot, but that old daylight looks better to us than anything in the world." The men were Roy Towles, 42; W. J. Foreman; and Peter Bauler. Foreman and Towles were timbering the mine tunnel 200 feet from the portal when suddenly the tunnel ceiling gave way. Source document
|
| 1938 |
Unnamed Mine Cave-in, Birmingham, Alabama — Oliver Busby, 49, mine foreman, saved Coleman Burrell, 25, trackman's helper, from bleeding and a cave-in in a mine, Birmingham, Alabama, March 28, 1938. When runaway mine cars in a coal-mine collided with standing cars, Burrell was knocked to his knees between the ends of two cars, the cars coming to a stop after one of them had dislodged two roof supports. The roof began slowly to sag above Burrell. Burrell's leg was caught under a car and was fractured; and blood was spurting from a severed artery. Busby crawled under the sagging roof to Burrell. Lying on his side in a confined space on the floor, he pressed the artery, stopping the flow of blood almost entirely. He was thus engaged for 10 minutes, all the time regarding the sagging roof with apprehension. The car was then raised, and Burrell was carried to safety. A very short time later roof timbers came to rest on the car alongside of which Busby had lain; and a large rock slid down on it, followed by a fall of small rock. Burrell's leg later was amputated. Oliver Busby was awarded the Carnegie Hero Medal for his bravery.
|
| McKinley Farm Mine Cave-in, Clintonville, Pennsylvania — A cave-in occurred at the coal mine of Mike Serge on the McKinley farm. Leaving the tipple, one of the cars got loose, and it ran into the mine and dislodged the timbers. Approximately 30 feet of the entrance entry to the mine was closed, leaving four men trapped inside. They were rescued within four hours from the time the mine was closed shut. Source document 1
|
| Delaware and Hudson Coal Mine Cave-in, Silverton, Pennsylvania — Peter Koresky, 65, of Llewelyn, who was trapped in the shaft of the Delaware and Hudson Coal Co., at Silverton, near Llewelyn, had a narrow escape from death, when rescued after about five hours imprisonment. He received treatment at the Pottsville hospital for shock, bruises and bad lacerations of the head and body. Source document
|
| 1939 |
Abandoned Mine Rescue, Coalburg, Alabama — This rescue involves a most unlikely pair that became lost in an abandoned mine in Coalburg, Alabama. Cecil Morgan was apprehended and taken into custody when he was found operating a still a quarter of a mile underground. Deputy Sheriff Jim McAdory had captured Morgan and while attempting to make their way to the surface, the pair became lost. More than 100 officers and miners spread through the workings in search for the two men and found them resting on a mud bank after being confined for 18 hours in the mine, much of the time in total darkness. Source document
|
| Bootleg Anthracite Mine Asphyxiation, Centralia, Pennsylvania — Manuel Alves, 28, was overcome by gas or blackdamp while working in a bootleg mine was in a critical condition when rescued by fellow miners. Alves was taken to Ashland State Hospital, where surgeons administered oxygen and stimulation. The miner was revived, and while his condition was critical, he was expected to recover. Source document
|
| 1940 |
Willow Grove No. 10 Mine Explosion, Neffs, Ohio — An explosion in this mine resulted in the death of 72 miners. Twenty-two others were overcome by afterdamp, rescued and taken to the surface. Seventy-nine uninjured men were temporarily imprisoned and rescued five hours later. Investigators believe that the explosion was caused by the firing of a shot charged with black powder.
|
| Maust Mine Cave-in, Stoystown, Pennsylvania — Five miners trapped for eight hours in a small domestic coal mine were freed uninjured by rescue crews who tunneled 30 feet through a rock fall to reach them. The men, Orrin Dunmier and his son, Roy; and William McVicker and his two sons, Robert and Peter, were trapped by the rockfall in the Maust Mine, a small shaft operated by Dunmier and producing coal only for domestic purposes. Source document
|
| Northwest Colliery Cave-in, Simpson, Pennsylvania — Two anthracite miners were recovering in a hospital from effects of a 17-hour imprisonment 30 feet underground as a result of a cave-in. Steve Daynock, 58, and Michael Hurchick, 36, were brought to the surface in a dramatic rescue from a cave-in in a sub-leased Northwest Colliery mine. John Palish, 42, working in the mine with Daynock and Hurchick, heard the warning rumble of the cave-in in time to scramble to safety. His alarm brought scores of miners from nearby communities and set them to digging frantically at the 30-foot earth wall that entombed the pair in a subterranean pocket. At 3:28 p.m., the life-and-death battle ended triumphantly at the brink of the 32-foot hole dug by a power shovel and hand labor. Rescuers reached the trapped miners and lifted them up ladders to a wildly cheering reception from the throng of spectators. They were taken to St. Joseph's hospital, Carbondale, and treated for exposure. Source document
|
| Davidson Mine Cave-in, Connellsville, Pennsylvania — One brother was buried alive and a second was saved through quick action by a fellow miner in the Davidson mine of the Republic Steel Corporation. William and Edward Semjock, of Trotter, known to miners as "The Flappy Brothers" were working on a gob when a timber let go. Both were knocked out by the blow and fell to the ground. Presley Hixon, also of Trotter, who was working nearby saw the accident and hurried to the scene. He was successful in taking Edward, aged 24, to safety and was returning for William, 27, when the "gob" roof let go and the miner was buried under tons of slate, coal, and rock. The alarm was spread, and a crew of miners started digging to rescue the buried man. As hour after hour elapsed without the men making any appreciable headway all hopes Semjock might have been saved disappeared and he was given up as lost. Source document
|
| Bootleg Anthracite Mine Asphyxiation, Branchdale, Pennsylvania — John Petroski, 50, was rescued alive and resuscitated by a physician after he had been overcome the day before by carbon monoxide while at work in a bootleg mine near his home. Petroski and other workmen had installed a gasoline powered pump for use in freeing their independent mine of water. After the pump had been installed all the workers except Petroski went to the surface to check on other installations, and during their absence Petroski primed and started the pump. He failed to notice the accumulation of rancid fumes and carbon monoxide and collapsed. Petroski was unconscious when found by Anthony Bernoski who entered the mine to check on the operation of the pump. He carried the limp form of the victim to the bottom of the slope, and with the assistance of others conveyed the gas victim to the surface, where a physician was successful in restoring him to consciousness. Petroski was expected to recover. Source document
|
| 1941 |
Bootleg Anthracite Mine Cave-in, Kulpmont, Pennsylvania — William Fisher, 37, was in Shamokin State Hospital with a probable fracture of the pelvis, sustained when covered by a fall of coal and rock in a bootleg mine north of Kulpmont. According to the hospital report, Fisher was in shock when admitted but his condition was not believed to be critical. Fisher was saved from suffocation when his brother, Arthur, with whom he was working, immediately summoned John Dulis and Robert Mummaw, and all three dug him out in less than a half hour. Firemen from both companies at Kulpmont were on hand with pulmotors when Fisher was brought to the surface, but the pulmotors were not needed. The bootleg mine where Fisher was covered was about 50 feet deep. Source document
|
| 1942 |
Teddy the mule was rescued following an 8-day entrapment after a roof fall occurred in the Cracker Jack mine near Boulder, Colorado. Teddy survived the ordeal by nibbling on bark from pine roof props and drinking from pools of water in the damp mine. The owner, Joe Robertson, turned Teddy out to pasture to rest for a month following his ordeal. Source document
|
| 1943 |
Jermyn-Green Coal Co. No. 6 Colliery Cave-in, Inkerman, Pennsylvania — Henry R. Skibitski, 32, coal miner; and John Kuchinsky, 37, coal mine, helped to rescue Frank Chas, 44, mine laborer, from a cave-in in a mine, Inkerman, Pennslvania, March 30, 1943. Two runaway mine cars were derailed in an air-course of a coal mine, causing the roof to collapse for 17 feet in the air-course and in a cross-cut that extended six feet off the air-course at one end of the cave-in. Chas, who was in the cross-cut, was pinned by a timber on which rock rested. While the debris moved and settled somewhat and a few rocks fell, Skibitski, followed by John Kuchinsky, from the end of the cave-in crawled 12 feet in a narrow passageway at one side of the cave-in under debris and reached Chas. They placed blocks under the timber; and with bars Kuchinsky and then Skibitski dug at rocks under Chas, freeing him. They dragged Chas into the air-course, lifted him across one of the cars, and lowered him to the floor beyond the inner end of the cave-in. Chas had sustained a cut on his head, and his legs were numb. Twenty minutes later, the debris having fairly well settled, Kuchinsky aided Chas over the car; and all crawled through the passageway into a safe section of the mine. Chas recovered. Henry R. Skibitski and John Kuchinsky were bestowed the Carnegie Hero Award for their bravery. Source document
|
| 1944 |
Anthracite Mine Hole Fall of Ground, West Scranton, Pennsylvania — Edward Pall, age 7, from West Scranton, appeared little the worse at his home following his rescue from a mine cave hole which held him prisoner for nearly two hours. The boy was on his way to school and walking along a path through a field near his home when the earth gave way and swallowed him to his shoulders. Nearly two hours later, his father, Charles Pall, on his way to work heard the boy's cries and saw his head sticking out of the ground. After digging frantically, Pall rescued his son and carried him home. Examination of the youngster showed he was unhurt but suffering somewhat from shock. Police said the cave was four feet deep. Source document
|
| Mine Subsidence Fall of Ground, Pittston, Pennsylvania — Seven-year-old Robert Adrian was swallowed up by the earth in a mine subsidence today, only 300 feet from the spot where Jule Ann Fulmer, age 2, was killed in a similar cave-in a month earlier. But Robert lived to tell about it. Walking home from a barber shop, Robert plunged 10 feet into the earth when the paving opened beneath him, but he was buried only to his waist. The terror-stricken youngster scrambled to safety before passersby reached him. Almost simultaneously, another cave-in occurred nearby, but no one was near the spot. Source document
|
| 1946 |
Kempton Mine No. 42 Runaway Cars Derailment, Kempton, West Virginia — A heroic miner saved 10 comrades from certain death in the black depths of the Kempton No. 42 mine of the Davis Coal and Coke Company but paid with his own life for his efforts. Peter H. Scripp, 33, succeeded in sidetracking a runaway string of cars racing toward the mine pit where the 10 men were working but the cars collided with others already on the siding, and Scripps was pinned against the side of the tunnel and crushed to death. Miners said they were forced to dig away the coal behind him to extricate his body. Source document
|
| 1947 |
Centralia No. 5 Mine Explosion, Centralia, Illinois — Rescue workers kept digging in a gaseous, clogged-up passage 540 feet underground. The picking and the toiling slow work in the thick of the lingering fumes, in about 20 hours had accounted for only nine survivors of the 131 who were caught in the blast just a few minutes before quitting time.
|
| 1948 |
Big Cottonwood Canyon Avalanche, Salt Lake, Utah — Survivor of a terrible experience, trapped by a huge avalanche he could not see, but only hear, Roy Newman, blind miner, was discovered in the area of the snowslide which thundered down into Big Cottonwood canyon. Searchers for Mr. Newman and three skiers who were unaccounted for after the snow mass blocked the canyon road and stream, found the miner hiding in one of the mine shafts which honeycomb the area. He was shaken, but unhurt. Fears for Mr. Newman's safety had risen when state troopers slogged through heavy snow and found his cabin intact, but vacant. A friend of the blind man, who assisted in the search, suggested Mr. Newman might be in one of the mine shafts or tunnels, and a search of these revealed the missing man. Source document
|
| Unnamed Mine Cave-in, Telluride, Colorado — Robert Pressley, 35, was trapped head down by a slide of muck for 14 hours. He suffered a crushed foot and shock and was expected to recover. Pressley was pinned in a small ore chute throughout the night while fellow miners retimbered the chute to prevent a new slide of ore from coming down on him. He was rescued after the timbering operation was completed and taken to a hospital here. Source document
|
| 1950 |
Independent Anthracite Mine Cave-in, Pottsville, Pennsylvania — Following a cave-in at an independent Anthracite mine near Pottsville, Pennsylvania, Robert Schoffstall, 42, was reached by rescue workers after remaining entombed seven hours. He suffered a possible fractured skull, abrasions of the right temple and a fractured left leg. Frank Bosack, Jr., 23, the other trapped miner, crawled out of the mine on Sharp Mountain, after diggers drove through sixty tons of rock, crushed timber and debris in ten hours. Also trapped with the two men and rescued from the mine was "Pete" the mule. The mule assisted greatly in his rescue. He kicked and pawed his way through fallen rock and coal while rescue workers drove from the outside toward the entombed animal. After the opening was made the mule squeezed through and crawled out of the underground operation on his own power, a distance of about 1,000 feet. Source document
|
| 1952 |
Repplier Colliery Cave-in, Pottsville, Pennsylvania — Caught under many tons of coal while working in the Repplier colliery, Steve Matusiak, 59, of New Philadelphia, near Pottsville, was dug out by fellow workmen after an undisclosed period. He was rushed to a Pottsville hospital where he was treated for chest injuries. Source document
|
| Well Rockslide Rescue, Salida, Colorado — Charles Dennis, a 33-year-old metal miner was trapped for 12 hours after a rock slide crashed down on him at the bottom of a 15-foot well. The slide completely covered the man but he was able to breathe because of air spaces in the rock jumble. Rescue operations were carried on most of the night by floodlight, and broke through to the trapped man. Source document
|
| Pine Creek Canyon Snowslide, Bishop, California — A weekend of wild weather in California had a fortunate ending in the rescue of 33 persons whose mining camp high in the Sierra Nevada was crushed under giant snow slides. The 33 rescued Sunday night were workers and their families at the U. S. Vanadium Corporation's tungsten mill, The world's largest, 9,000 feet high in Pine Creek Canyon, 20 northwest of Bishop. A huge slide poured down from crags above. One end of the mill was caved in. Four homes were partially destroyed. The home of mill superintendent Tom Holmes was crushed and buried. Mrs. Holmes was knocked out of the house, over an auto, under a fence and against a tree 60 feet away. Her 15-month-old son was buried under 13 feet of snow and debris. Workers dug for two hours. They finally found him nestled between two pet Dachshunds unharmed. Besides the dogs, he was protected by his play pen and a heavy chair. Two other workers were buried for 10 hours before being freed. The 33 took refuge in the mill's basement, where the rescue party found them. None was seriously injured. They were there for more than a day, praying and watching smaller slides bounce down the canyon walls. Source document
|
| 1959 |
Unnamed Gold Mine Explosives Detonation, Death Valley, California — A gold miner lay helpless in a Death Valley tunnel hearing the fuses for 18 sticks of dynamite hiss a song of destruction. Frank Rasmussen, 35, could only wait. His right leg was shattered from a premature blast and gushing blood. As he waited for the remaining charges to blast him into eternity, he gasped a prayer and buried his head under his arms. Then he heard his alarmed partner Harry Boyer starting into the shaft from 18 feet above to see what was wrong. "Don't come in here!" Rasmussen shouted. "No use both of us dying!" Moments earlier he had lighted the 40-inch fuses to 10 two-stick charges spaced across the end of the tunnel wall. Ordinarily, he would have had two or three minutes to get out. Something went wrong this time — A faulty fuse. Wham! With each blast two sticks of dynamite went off. Rocks and dirt flew. The noise was deafening, the concussion terrific. Rasmussen counted the explosions. One, two, three — Ten in all counting the first one which had slammed him right against the opposite wall 10 feet away. As the echoes died away Boyer charged into the shaft. All he could see of his comrade was a shoulder sticking out of the debris. Boyer grabbed it and pulled Rasmussen's head free. Boyer tied a rope tightly around Rasmussen's leg to stop the pouring blood. Then he packed the injured man up a ladder and drove him to the nearby village of Skidoo. Rasmussen told the story from his hospital bed while in traction with a leg broken in two places. He was waiting for X-rays to show how badly his back was injured. Source document
|
| 1967 |
Well Shaft Fall of Person, Votaw, Texas — 2-year-old Teresa Fregia was pulled from a well where she had been trapped nine hours, inches above the water. A middle-aged rescuer had himself lowered into a shaft beside the well and smashed a hole in its tile walls with a hammer. "I pulled on her and I heard her bones crack, and I knew I was hurting her, but I had to get her out," said R.S. Bill Jr., 46, who heads a Houston rescue group. Bill found the girl knotted almost in a ball where she had been lodged since 6:30 p.m. EST Friday, breathing piped-in oxygen. She survived the entire ordeal with only minor scratches. Smashing a hole in the side of the well at the 22-foot level, Bill pulled her through and was brought to the surface on a rope, holding her in his arms. Source document
|
| 1969 |
William "Buck" Jones was rescued 8 days following a cave-in at the Deep Lark lead, zinc and silver mine near Lark, Utah. The elderly miner was tired but able to laugh following his ordeal. He was greeted on the surface by his wife and 11 children. Source document
|
| 1972 |
Abandoned Silver Queen Mine Fall of Person, Calico Ghost Town, California — A Compton youth was in satisfactory condition last night after a 150-foot fall down the main shaft of the Silver Queen Mine at Calico Ghost Town, located northeast of Compton. Darrel Avery, 19, was taken to Barstow Community Hospital where he was treated for a broken leg, cuts, and bruises. He and his brother, David, 23, entered a horizontal shaft in the mine and apparently got lost before Darrel fell into the main vertical shaft around 3 pm, said Sgt. Gerald Hanna of the Barstow Sheriff's substation. A timber protruding from another shaft broke his fall, saving him from dropping to the bottom which is full of water and debris. His brother climbed about 200 feet to the top of the boarded over shaft and summoned help. Two sheriff's deputies and 10 men from the Barstow Desert Search and Rescue Team rushed to the mine to start rescue operations. Volunteers Charles Jefferson and Eldon Haskell were lowered 350 feet into the main shaft and pulled the trapped youth out at about 6:50 pm (4 hours later). Source document
|
| 1974 |
Abandoned Mine Fall of Person, Pittsburg, California — Eddie Hulteen Jr., 14, suffered a fractured skull when he fell 30 feet down an abandoned mine shaft near Pittsburg. Hulteen was in critical condition at Delta Memorial Hospital, Antioch. He had been hiking with his sister, and two other youths through Coal Mine Park south of Pittsburg when he apparently lost his footing and fell 30 feet into the old mine. The rescuers, using a litter and ropes, had him out of the shaft in about an hour. He was taken by helicopter to the hospital. Source document
|
| Abandoned Mine Shaft Entrapment, Chester, Massachusetts — An 18-year-old who became trapped while exploring a mine shaft was pulled to safety, state police said. Felix Munez became trapped after he lowered himself to the bottom of a 90-foot shaft while exploring with a companion, identified as Richard J. Barus of Manchester, N.H. Source document
|
| 1975 |
Abandoned Mine Fall of Person, Calico, California — Billy Loenhorst, 13, was reported to be in good condition at Victor Valley Hospital following a fall into a 50-foot mine shaft in the Calico area. Billy was with a group from Redlands, hiking in the Doran scenic drive area northeast of Calico, when he apparently fell into the shaft, sheriff's deputies said. Several members of the group from Redlands were hiking and exploring in the area which is dotted with abandoned shafts when the youth fell. The Barstow sheriff's substation was notified, and an all-out rescue effort began. A total of 20 members of the desert rescue team participated in the removal of the youth from the shaft. Billy suffered a fractured left arm and numerous cuts and abrasions in the fall. The sheriff's deputies and other members of the rescue team had Billy out 1 hours after they were notified. He was then taken to the hospital by Desert Ambulance service. Source document
|
| 1977 |
Ronald Adley survived after being trapped for nearly 6 days following an inundation of water at the Porter Tunnel Mine owned by the Kocher Coal Company in Tower City, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Nine miners were killed in the accident.
|
| 1979 |
Trapped for 6 hours by a rockslide at the Upper Taggert Coal Mine at Oven Fork, Kentucky, Larkin Napier was rescued. Two other miners, Grant Sturgill and Ernest Stetzer, were crushed by the falling rock. Source document
|
| 1984 |
Abandoned Tungsten Mine Fall of Person, Visalia, California — Joel Baca, 22, was listed in stable condition at Valley Medical Center in Fresno after he fell about 100 feet down an abandoned tungsten mine shaft. Tulare County sheriff's deputies said Baca and his brother were checking the mine shaft when Joel Baca fell into the opening. His brother rushed to the nearby Chrisman Ranch to get help. A sheriff's rescue team lifted Joel Baca from the shaft and a California Highway Patrol helicopter transported him to VMC. Deputies said he suffered facial and head injuries. The mine was on the Chrisman Ranch in Drum Valley, 20 miles east of Orosi. Source document
|
| 2001 |
Harmony Mine Cave-in, Columbia-Northumberland County Line, Pennsylvania — Ivan Sweinhart was listed in satisfactory condition at Geisinger Medical Center after being buried by a patch of loose coal two miles below the surface in a mine. Crews spent an hour removing Sweinhart from Harmony Mine, near the Columbia-Northumberland county line. He was taken out in one of the mine buggies used to transport men and tools. The mine was owned by UAE CoalCorp Associates and operated by West Point Mining Company of Mount Carmel. Source document
|
| 2005 |
South State Dredge and Plant, Bridgeton, New Jersey — Elwood Durham, 66, was injured when a work boat he and another co-worker were on capsized. A crane and the boat were being used in an attempt to retrieve a dredge anchor from the bottom of a dredge pond. The crane and the boat were simultaneously hooked to the anchor line. The crane operator's view of the boat was obstructed and there were no communications established between the crews. Because there was too much slack in the cable connection to the crane, the crane backed away from the shore, capsizing the boat. After an undisclosed period, two co-workers rescued the two employees from the cold water and administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation to revive Mr. Durham. He was hospitalized and died on March 24, 2005. The other miner was able to rescue himself. Source document
|
| 2013 |
Castle Valley No. 4 Mine Cave-in, Huntington, Utah — Two miners were involved in a cave-in at a mine in Bear Canyon, about 10 miles west of Huntington, Utah. After an undisclosed period, rescuers freed Dallen McFarlane from the cave-in and took that worker to Castleview Hospital in Price where he was treated and released. The second miner, Elam Jones, was killed by the collapse. The mine is part of the Castle Valley Mining Complex operated by Rhino Resource Partners. Source document Investigation Report
|
| 2014 |
D & E Mine Roof Fall, Minersville, Pennsylvania — Two miners were rescued following an undisclosed period after a mine roof collapse at a slope operated by the D & E Deep Mine Coal Co. at its Buck Mountain Drift Mine in Cass Township. Officials had not released their names. One of the men possibly had a shoulder injury and the other a possible back injury. Workers at the scene helped the two men to the ambulance. No blood was visible on the two men. Source document
|
| 2020 |
Abandoned Mine Rescue, Twentynine Palms, California — San Bernardino County Fire Department search teams staged a daring and complex rescue of a man trapped in a remote mine. County Fire officials received a call from an unidentified explorer in a rural, unincorporated area of Twentynine Palms who had recently left a mine and reported that a partner was still inside and unable to get out. To reach the trapped man, rescuers braved significant hazards within the mine, including unsafe terrain, and high temperatures and humidity, officials said in the statement that described the 15-hour effort. Members of the rescue team crawled through an entrance on their stomachs for approximately 50 feet. After this, they navigated a large drop by skirting around a 14-inch ledge. Secured by safety lines, the firefighters then climbed down a separate, 200-foot drop on a wooden ladder. From there, they encountered another small gap with irregular height, which forced them onto their hands, knees and stomachs for another 150 feet. Rescuers lowered themselves down another sheer drop with ropes before traversing a horizontal tunnel. They found the man at the bottom of an additional 90-foot drop at the end of that tunnel. The total distance the team traveled in the mine was estimated at over 900 feet. A team of six rescuers used a system of ropes and pulleys to hoist the man out of the mine. While exhausted, he suffered only minor injuries and declined transport to a hospital. In total, the man spent roughly 20 hours in the mine. Source document
|
| 2021 |
Abandoned Iron Mine Rescue, Galax, Virginia — Three hikers were lucky to be alive after they were rescued from a mine in Carroll County, Virginia. Three women, in their early 20s, went hiking but got lost in an old, abandoned iron mine. Incredibly, the women were able to call for help after finding they had 1 bar on a cell phone. It was a miracle the girls got any cell signal at all. There's barely reception driving around on the road, let alone a thousand feet underground. It took crews about 45 minutes to find the women until finally, rescuers spotted them. After another 45 minutes of working their way out to safety, the young women thanked the responders from the Galax Volunteer Fire Department who left their families in the middle of the night and put their own lives on the line. Source document
|
| Rescuer Deaths in March |
| 1905 |
Rush Run and Red Ash Mine Explosions, Red Ash, West Virginia — Five hours after the mine ceased operations for the day, an explosion occurred in the Rush Run mine, in which 8 men lost their lives. The explosion extended into the Red Ash mine, where 5 more men lost their lives. To rescue these men, 11 men entered the Rush Run mine and were lost in a second explosion. Source document
|
| 1907 |
Seattle Electric Company, Renton County, Washington — Victim's little son was waiting for his father to finish work so that he might ride the horse to the barn. As the father was dumping his last car, the boy fell into the hot ashes. The father jumped to rescue him and both were so badly burned that they died a few days later.
|
| 1908 |
Hanna No. 1 Mine Explosions, Hanna, Wyoming — Mine Superintendent, Alexander Briggs, along with 19 volunteers were killed by an explosion in the Union Pacific Coal Company's Hanna No. 1 mine. This group had gone into the mine to fight a fire that had been raging there since the previous Saturday. A short time later, a second explosion occurred in the mine, killing 39 others, including State Mine Inspector, D. M. Elie, who had gone into the mine with hopes of rescuing the first group. In all, 59 were killed in this disaster.
|
| 1915 |
At Black Hawk, Utah, Grant S. Miller, a member of the Black Hawk Coal Company's rescue crew, was overcome while fighting a mine fire, and died in spite of courageous efforts of his comrades to save his life. Source document 1 Source document 2
|
| 1924 |
Castle Gate No. 2 Mine Explosions, Castle Gate, Utah — Before experienced apparatus men arrived, a member of a crew from a neighboring mine was killed by inhaling carbon monoxide due to removing his nose clip in some way.
|
| 1935 |
Unnamed Coal Mine Cave-in, Starford, Pennsylvania — John S. Korfonta sustained fatal injuries attempting to help rescue Francis R. Yaros from a mine cave-in, Starford, Pennsylvania, March 11, 1935. While Yaros, 21, was close to the face of the coal at the end of a heading of a mine, a rock six feet and a half in diameter and from two to 15 inches thick fell from the roof onto him. The rock lay two feet from the face of the coal between two parallel rows of posts eight feet apart. Only Yaros's feet and ankles extended from under the rock. Frank L. Russell, Jr., heard the crash and went to another heading, where he notified Korfonta, 46, miner; J. Clair Irvin; Joseph C. Resovsky; and another man. Irvin, closely followed by Russell, Resovsky, and the other man, hurried through a crosscut and the heading to the rock and then crawled over it to positions between the rock and the face of the coal. Russell placed a crowbar beneath the edge of the rock, and his companions placed their hands beneath the rock to lift it. Korfonta then reached the rock and began to crawl over it. Another rock, five feet wide and eight inches thick, fell and knocked him aside onto loose slate. Slate dribbled from the roof, and the men feared another fall. After standing aside a moment, Irvin and Resovsky lifted a part of the rock, which had been split by the second rock, from Yaros's legs. Russell and Resovsky then lifted the rock from Yaros's back. Irvin grasped Yaros's ankles and pulled him to the face of the coal. Russell and Irvin then carried Yaros toward the other side of the heading, the roof of which was amply supported by crossbeams, then for 25 feet over a pile of slate to a safe part of the heading. Resovsky remained with Korfonta. Russell ran to the entrance of the mine for help. Irvin returned to the rock and crawled over the loose slate to Korfonta and Resovsky. He and Resovsky then carried Korfonta over the same course to the crosscut and the other heading. In the meantime, Yaros died. Korfonta was placed in a minecar and hauled out of the mine. He died of his injuries that evening. J. Clair Irvin, Frank L. Russell, Jr., Joseph C. Resovsky and John S. Korfonta (posthumously) were bestowed the Carnegie Hero Award for their bravery.
|
| 1937 |
Kramer Mine Explosions, DuBois, Pennsylvania — A spark from a locomotive ignited a body of methane in the first explosion, a fire ignited the 2nd. Two were killed in the first explosion and 7 were killed in the second explosion. The others died in an effort to rescue their fellow man, when a second explosion of gas took place. Source document
|
| 1940 |
Willow Grove No. 10 Mine Explosion, Neffs, Ohio — On this Saturday morning 176 men were in the mine, when an explosion killed 66 by burns and violence and 3 by burns and afterdamp. Two others attempting rescue were asphyxiated, and 1 rescued man died 6 days later from the effects of afterdamp.
|
| 1944 |
Katherine No. 4 Mine Explosion, Shinnston, West Virginia — Firefighting crews were formed after all miners were withdrawn from the Katherine No. 4 mine to fight a fire discovered there at 11:00 p.m. A subsequent explosion of methane and coal dust occurred, killing everyone in the mine fighting the fire at the time. Windows were shattered in homes 2 miles away and buildings were rocked.
|
| 1946 |
Unnamed Coal Mine Cave-in, Girardville, Pennsylvania — Edward Eugene Carey, 42, coal inspector, died attempting to rescue John Haluska, 33, truck driver, from a cave-in at a culm bank, Girardville, Pennsylvania, March 12, 1946. When rocks, coal, and clay for eight feet from the top of a culm bank 60 feet high began to roll and slide down, Haluska was caught and buried upright to his waist. Carey and three other men ran to Haluska and with their hands removed the culm from around him, freeing him except for one foot. As Carey sat on his haunches continuing his efforts, he shouted a warning to the other men that a second slide had started, and they ran clear of the slide area. Carey worked to free Haluska for a second or two longer and then started to follow the others. After taking a step or two, the slide reached him; and he fell. Carey and Haluska were buried under culm five feet deep. Both were dead when removed three hours later. Posthumously, Edward Eugene Carey was bestowed the Carnegie Hero Award for his bravery.
|
| Kempton Mine No. 42 Runaway Cars Derailment, Kempton, West Virginia — A heroic miner saved 10 comrades from certain death in the black depths of the Kempton No. 42 mine of the Davis Coal and Coke Company but paid with his own life for his efforts. Peter H. Scripp, 33, succeeded in sidetracking a runaway string of cars racing toward the mine pit where the 10 men were working but the cars collided with others already on the siding, and Scripps was pinned against the side of the tunnel and crushed to death. Miners said they were forced to dig away the coal behind him to extricate his body. Source document
|
| 1953 |
O'Brien Mine Explosion, Lovilia, Iowa — Three of the victims of the O'Brien mine disaster were men in an inspection party which entered the mine several hours after the original explosion. They were Gerald Lane, 59; James Love, 54, and Thomas Little, 48. They were in a party of five which entered the mine to look it over. Love earlier had been a member of the squad which brought out the bodies of Harold Barnes and Ben Nichols.
|
| 1955 |
Little Oak Mine Asphyxiation, Belleville, Illinois — Arthur Kaemmerer, 40, became asphyxiated while he and Andrew Yuengel were exploring the abandoned Little Oak mine preparatory to salvaging rails, wire, and other related materials. The pair were equipped with non-permissible Bendix back-type oxygen demand masks, however, the oxygen supply provided was quickly exhausted. Attempting to get help from those on the surface, Kaemmerer was found dead about 600 feet from the shaft. Yuengel managed to reach the shaft bottom where he was hoisted to safety.
|
| 1971 |
Nemacolin Mine Fire, Nemacolin, Pennsylvania — On April 16, 1971, at about 1:30 p.m., William L. Groves, State Deep Mine Inspector, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, was accidentally drowned during the firefighting operations.
|
| 1976 |
Scotia Mine Explosions, Ovenfork, Kentucky — On March 11, 1976, at the time of the second explosion, 13 men were underground near the entrance of 2 Southeast Main; 11 died as the result of the explosion and 2 repairmen working a short distance outby escaped without injury. Among the 11 killed on March 11 were 3 Federal Mine Inspectors: Kenneth Kiser, age 45; Richard Sammons, age 55; and Grover Tussey, age 45. This disaster gave birth to the Health and Safety Act of 1977 , including new rules for mine rescue teams, stations, and training. |
| |
