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NIOSH Mine Disaster Table

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Violent and Deadly Explosives Disasters

Probably Caused by Smoking Articles

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Probably Caused by Open Lights

Smoking Articles as the Probable Cause: The table below lists 29 accidents which resulted in the death of 562 miners.  During their investigations, it was determined that “smoking and/or smoking articles” were found to be the probable cause of these accidents.  27 of these incidents resulted in 5 or more fatalities and are classified as disasters.  Further, it is acknowledged that more than the other 2 accidents with less than five fatalities appearing here were also found to include “smoking articles” as the probable cause.  The exact number is not known.
Date	Mine Disaster/Accident	Location	Mineral	Killed
11/30/1993	Elmo No. 5	Feds Creek, Kentucky	Coal	1
12/07/1992	Southmountain No. 3	Norton, Virginia	Coal	8
12/08/1981	Grundy No. 21	Whitewell, Tennessee	Coal	13
07/07/1977	P and P No. 2	St. Charles, Virginia	Coal	4
12/30/1970	Finley Nos. 15 and 16	Hyden, Kentucky	Coal	38
03/05/1968	Belle Isle Salt	Franklin, Louisiana	Salt	21
07/28/1967	Princess No. 1	David, Kentucky	Coal	4
05/24/1965	Kline No. 2	Robbins, Tennessee	Coal	5
08/27/1963	Cane Creek	Grand County, Utah	Potash	18
03/23/1959	Phillips and West No. 1	Robbins, Tennessee	Coal	9
12/21/1951	Orient No. 2	West Frankfort, Illinois	Coal	119
12/14/1951	Fidelity	Du Quoin, Illinois	Coal	7
12/25/1948	Lynch No. 30	Lynch, Kentucky	Coal	1
07/24/1947	Old Ben	West Frankfort, Illinois	Coal	27
05/06/1946	Abbot	Williams, California	Quicksilver	2
10/27/1941	Daniel Boone	Daniel Boone, Kentucky	Coal	15
10/26/1937	Jonesville	Jonesville, Alaska	Coal	14
06/21/1937	Rupert	Keystone, Ohio	Coal	6
01/18/1932	Parrott	Parrott, Virginia	Coal	6
01/09/1928	Peabody No. 18	West Frankfort, Illinois	Coal	21
12/20/1927	Franco No. 1	Johnston City, Illinois	Coal	7
11/24/1927	Magma	Superior, Arizona	Copper	7
06/06/1924	Loomis	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania	Coal	14
06/02/1920	Ontario	Cokeburg, Pennsylvania	Coal	6
07/08/1919	Lansford Colliery	Lansford, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
04/27/1917	Hastings	Hastings, Colorado	Coal	121
11/16/1915	Northwestern	Ravensdale, Washington	Coal	31
09/16/1914	Lehigh No. 4	Lansford, Pennsylvania	Coal	7
01/16/1905	Decatur No. 1	Decatur, Illinois	Coal	6
09/07/1895	Osceola Copper	Calumet, Michigan	Copper	30
Open Lights as the Probable Cause: The table below lists 140 accidents which resulted in the death of 4,624 miners.  During their investigations, it was determined that “open lamps and lights,” or “naked flames” were found to be the probable cause of these accidents.  131 of these incidents resulted in 5 or more fatalities and are classified as disasters.  Further, it is acknowledged that more than the other 9 accidents with less than five fatalities appearing here were also found to have “open lights” as the probable cause.  The exact number is not known.  View all Coal Explosion;  Fire;  Fire and Explosion;  and  Explosives Detonation  accidents and disasters in our database. Although somewhat unrelated, here's how those at the CDC/NIOSH have categorized 40 disasters residing on their disaster list involving the “Detonation of Explosives.” 💣
Date	Mine Disaster/Accident	Location	Mineral	Killed
05/02/1972	Sunshine	Kellogg, Idaho	Silver	91
02/27/1943	Smith No. 3	Bearcreek, Montana	Coal	74
11/10/1941	Davis No. 25	Thomas, West Virginia	Coal	3
10/27/1941	Daniel Boone	Daniel Boone, Kentucky	Coal	15
04/27/1938	St. Clair No. 1 Slope	Pottsville, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
07/15/1937	Baker	Sullivan, Indiana	Coal	20
12/05/1935	Wolf Run	Amsterdam, Ohio	Coal	4
12/24/1932	Moweaqua	Moweaqua, Illinois	Coal	54
06/13/1932	Splash Dam No. 6	Splash Dam, Virginia	Coal	10
01/26/1929	Kingston No. 5	Kingston, West Virginia	Coal	14
12/18/1928	Black Diamond No. 2	Drakesboro, Kentucky	Coal	6
02/24/1928	Mama No. 3	Jenny Lind, Arkansas	Coal	13
03/30/1927	Saline No. 2	Ledford, Illinois	Coal	8
12/09/1926	Francisco No. 2	Francisco, Indiana	Coal	37
10/04/1926	Rockwood	Rockwood, Tennessee	Coal	27
09/03/1926	Tahona No. 29	Tahona, Oklahoma	Coal	16
07/21/1926	Dixie	Moffat, Alabama	Coal	9
01/13/1926	Wilburton No. 21	Wilburton, Oklahoma	Coal	91
07/23/1925	Rockwood	Rockwood, Tennessee	Coal	10
06/08/1925	West Kentucky No. 9	Sturgis, Kentucky	Coal	17
02/20/1925	City	Sullivan, Indiana	Coal	51
04/28/1924	Benwood	Benwood, West Virginia	Coal	119
03/28/1924	Yukon No. 2	Yukon, West Virginia	Coal	26
03/08/1924	Castle Gate No. 2	Castle Gate, Utah	Coal	172
05/05/1923	Southwestern	Aguilar, Colorado	Coal	10
11/22/1922	Dolomite No. 3	Dolomite, Alabama	Coal	90
11/06/1922	Reilly No. 1	Spangler, Pennsylvania	Coal	79
09/29/1922	Lake Creek	Johnston City, Illinois	Coal	5
05/25/1922	Acmar No. 3	Acmar, Alabama	Coal	11
02/02/1922	Belle Ellen No. 2	Belle Ellen, Alabama	Coal	9
07/18/1919	Carswell	Kimball, West Virginia	Coal	6
06/30/1919	Alderson No. 5	Alderson, Oklahoma	Coal	15
04/29/1919	Majestic	Majestic, Alabama	Coal	22
09/28/1918	Royalton North No. 1	Royalton, Illinois	Coal	21
08/07/1918	Harmar	Harmarville, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
12/15/1917	Yukon No. 1	Bluefield, West Virginia	Coal	18
11/29/1917	Old Ben No. 11	Christopher, Illinois	Coal	17
08/04/1917	West Kentucky No. 7	Clay, Kentucky	Coal	62
06/02/1917	Rend No. 2	Herrin, Illinois	Coal	9
12/13/1916	Fidelity No. 9	Stone City, Kansas	Coal	20
03/30/1916	Robindale	Seward, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
03/28/1916	King Mine No. 98	Kimball, West Virginia	Coal	10
03/09/1916	Hollenback Colliery	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania	Coal	6
02/29/1916	Davis No. 42	Kempton, Maryland	Coal	16
02/11/1916	Ernest No. 2	Ernest, Pennsylvania	Coal	27
02/08/1916	Lance No. 11 Colliery	Plymouth, Pennsylvania	Coal	7
07/27/1915	United Coal No. 1	Christopher, Illinois	Coal	9
05/24/1915	Smokeless Valley No. 1	Johnstown, Pennsylvania	Coal	9
03/02/1915	Layland No. 3	Layland, West Virginia	Coal	115
02/06/1915	Carlisle	Carlisle, West Virginia	Coal	21
10/27/1914	Royalton North No. 1	Royalton, Illinois	Coal	52
04/28/1914	Eccles Nos. 5 and 6	Eccles, West Virginia	Coal	181
01/10/1914	Rock Castle	Rock Castle, Alabama	Coal	12
12/16/1913	Vulcan	New Castle, Colorado	Coal	17
04/23/1913	Cincinnati	Courtney, Pennsylvania	Coal	97
08/13/1912	Abernant	Abernant, Alabama	Coal	18
07/16/1912	Carbon Hill	Gayton, Virginia	Coal	8
07/11/1912	Panama	Moundsville, West Virginia	Coal	8
04/21/1912	Coil	Madisonville, Kentucky	Coal	5
03/26/1912	Jed	Jed, West Virginia	Coal	81
03/20/1912	San Bois No. 2	McCurtain, Oklahoma	Coal	73
02/22/1912	Western No. 5	Lehigh, Oklahoma	Coal	9
12/09/1911	Cross Mountain	Briceville, Tennessee	Coal	84
11/18/1911	Bottom Creek	Vivian, West Virginia	Coal	18
11/09/1911	Adrian	Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
10/23/1911	O'Gara Mine No. 9	Harrisburg, Illinois	Coal	8
07/15/1911	Sykesville	Sykesville, Pennsylvania	Coal	21
05/10/1911	Boston Colliery	Larksville, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
11/11/1910	Shoal Creek No. 1	Panama, Illinois	Coal	6
11/08/1910	Victor American No. 3	Delagua, Colorado	Coal	79
11/03/1910	Yolande No. 1	Yolande, Alabama	Coal	5
04/20/1910	Mulga	Mulga, Alabama	Coal	40
12/23/1909	Mine A	Herrin, Illinois	Coal	8
11/13/1909	St. Paul No. 2	Cherry, Illinois	Coal	259
07/06/1909	Toller	Tollerville, Colorado	Coal	9
06/23/1909	Lackawanna No. 4	Wehrum, Pennsylvania	Coal	21
11/28/1908	Rachel and Agnes	Marianna, Pennsylvania	Coal	154
08/26/1908	Haileyville No. 1	Haileyville, Oklahoma	Coal	29
12/06/1907	Monongah Nos. 6 and 8	Monongah, West Virginia	Coal	362
12/01/1907	Naomi	Fayette City, Pennsylvania	Coal	34
08/06/1906	Susquehanna No. 7 Colliery	Nanticoke, Pennsylvania	Coal	6
07/19/1906	Dixon-Pocahontas Shaft	Welch, West Virginia	Coal	5
04/22/1906	Cuatro	Tercio, Colorado	Coal	14
11/15/1905	Braznell	Bentleyville, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
03/18/1905	Rush Run/Red Ash	Red Ash, West Virginia	Coal	24
05/05/1904	Locust Gap Colliery	Locust Gap, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
07/10/1902	Rolling Mill	Johnstown, Pennsylvania	Coal	112
05/19/1902	Fraterville	Coal Creek, Tennessee	Coal	184
06/10/1901	Port Royal No. 2	Port Royal, Pennsylvania	Coal	19
05/27/1901	New Richlands	Dayton, Tennessee	Coal	20
11/09/1900	Buck Mountain Colliery	Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania	Coal	7
05/01/1900	Winter Quarters	Scofield, Utah	Coal	200
12/23/1899	Braznell	Brownsville, Pennsylvania	Coal	19
12/09/1899	Carbon Hill No. 7	Carbonado, Washington	Coal	31
07/24/1899	Grindstone	Grindstone, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
04/21/1899	Cook and White	Madrid, New Mexico	Coal	5
09/24/1897	Williamson County	Johnston City, Illinois	Coal	4
01/04/1897	Alderson No. 1	Alderson, Oklahoma	Coal	5
12/20/1895	Nelson	Dayton, Tennessee	Coal	28
02/27/1895	White Ash	Madrid, New Mexico	Coal	24
02/18/1895	West Bear Ridge Colliery	Mahony Plane, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
10/08/1894	Luke Fidler	Shamokin, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
08/25/1894	Gilberton Colliery	Ashland, Pennsylvania	Coal	2
09/21/1893	Lance No. 11 Colliery	Plymouth, Pennsylvania	Coal	6
05/10/1892	Roslyn	Roslyn, Washington	Coal	45
11/08/1891	Susquehanna No. 1	Nanticoke, Pennsylvania	Coal	12
05/22/1891	Pratt No. 1 Shaft	Pratt City, Alabama	Coal	11
01/27/1891	Mammoth No. 1	Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania	Coal	109
06/16/1890	Hill Farm	Dunbar, Pennsylvania	Coal	31
05/15/1890	Jersey No. 8	Ashley, Pennsylvania	Coal	26
04/02/1890	Susquehanna No. 8	Nanticoke, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
03/03/1890	Colliery No. 3 Shaft	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
02/01/1890	Nottingham Colliery	Plymouth, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
03/29/1888	Keith and Perry No. 6	Rich Hill, Missouri	Coal	24
11/26/1886	Conyngham Colliery	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania	Coal	12
08/30/1886	Fair Lawn Colliery	Scranton, Pennsylvania	Coal	6
01/21/1886	Orrel	Newburg, West Virginia	Coal	39
01/12/1886	Almy No. 4	Almy, Wyoming	Coal	13
10/21/1885	Plymouth No. 2	Plymouth, Pennsylvania	Coal	6
09/08/1885	Otto Colliery	Pottsville, Pennsylvania	Coal	1
10/27/1884	Youngstown	Uniontown, Pennsylvania	Coal	14
02/20/1884	West Leisenring	W. Leisenring, Pennsylvania	Coal	19
01/24/1884	Crested Butte	Crested Butte, Colorado	Coal	59
05/24/1882	Kohinoor Colliery	Shenandoah, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
02/10/1881	Robbins	Robbins, Ohio	Coal	6
05/03/1880	Short Mountain	Shamokin, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
03/05/1880	Nanticoke No. 2 Shaft	Nanticoke, Pennsylvania	Coal	6
11/02/1879	Mill Creek Colliery	Mill Creek, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
11/21/1878	Sullivan	Sullivan, Pennsylvania	Coal	13
10/08/1878	Prospect Colliery	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania	Coal	4
01/15/1878	Potts Colliery	Locustdale, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
05/09/1877	Wadesville Colliery	Wadesville, Pennsylvania	Coal	7
04/12/1876	Rush Run Slope	Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania	Coal	4
06/10/1873	Henry Clay Colliery	Shamokin, Pennsylvania	Coal	10
10/02/1871	Otto Red Ash Colliery	Branchdale, Pennsylvania	Coal	5
08/14/1871	Eagle Shaft	Pittston, Pennsylvania	Coal	17
04/03/1867	Bright Hope	Clover Hill, Virginia	Coal	69
08/13/1860	Hoch Colliery	Forestville, Pennsylvania	Coal	2
05/07/1860	Reppliers Colliery	Minersville, Pennsylvania	Coal	2
08/21/1844	Greenback/Buckridge Colliery	Shamokin, Pennsylvania	Coal	8
Regulations: Safety Laws of Pennsylvania for Underground Bituminous Coal Mines Section 268 — Prohibitions regarding endangering security of mine (b) Smoking prohibition. — Open lights, smoking and smokers' articles, including matches, are prohibited in bituminous coal mines. No individual shall at any time enter a mine with or carry into the mine any matches, pipes, cigars, cigarettes or any device for making lights or fire not approved. In all mines the operator may search or cause to be searched any individual, including his clothing and material belongings, entering or about to enter the mine, or inside the mine, to prevent such individual from taking or carrying into the mine any of the articles prohibited by this subsection. Section 504 — Unlawful conduct It is unlawful for a person to do any of the following: (4) Do any of the following on mine property: (vii) Possess or use alcohol, drugs or smoking materials in an unlawful manner on mine property. Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations 56/57.4101 — Warning signs Readily visible signs prohibiting smoking and open flames shall be posted where a fire or explosion hazard exists. 77.1102 — Warning signs; smoking and open flame Signs warning against smoking and open flames shall be posted so they can be readily seen in areas or places where fire or explosion hazards exist. 75.1702 — Smoking; prohibition No person shall smoke, carry smoking materials, matches, or lighters underground, or smoke in or around oil houses, explosives magazines, or other surface areas where such practice may cause a fire or explosion. The operator shall institute a program, approved by the Secretary, to insure that any person entering the underground area of the mine does not carry smoking materials, matches, or lighters. Reference: The National Museum of American History — Mining Lights and Hats

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