A coal dust explosion occurred in this mine, fatally injuring the operator and two 12-year-old boys who were visiting the mine.

The victims were Tod Robertson, 34, operator of the mine; his nephew, Earl Cox, 12, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ward, Cox, and Ben Ihler, 12, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ihler, all of Orangeville.

Emery County Sheriff Don Kofford said the three were killed instantly when a small coal mine, owned and worked solely by Mr. Robertson, was wracked with an explosion.

It was reported Mr. Robertson was blasting rock with dynamite to make an entrance inside the mine, about 250 feet underground.  Fine coal dust, highly inflammable, apparently ignited and exploded, the sheriff said.  The victims were the only ones in the mine at the time of the blast.