Carswell Mine Explosion

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Houston Collieries Company
Carswell Mine Explosion

Kimball, McDowell County, West Virginia
July 18, 1919
No. Killed - 6

USBM Final Investigation Report (1.5 Mb)

Narrative: On that morning the fireboss reported considerable gas in room 16 in 1st entry. The mine foreman went into the room to make an examination soon after the day shift entered. As his light was found disassembled and in good order; it was evident that it had been extinguished; and, being unable to light it with the automatic lighter, he took it apart and struck a match, igniting the gas. The explosion picking up coal dust was violent and came out through the shaft about 7:40 a.m. The explosion doors saved the fan. The bodies were recovered in about 3 hours by temporary ventilation of the area. Magnetically locked flame safety lamps, rock dusting and sprinkling, and improved methods of ventilation were recommended.

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Carswell Mining Complex Marker
Location: 37° 25.795′ N, 81° 30.529′ W.
Marker is in Kimball, West Virginia, in McDowell County. Marker is on Carswell Hollow Road (Local Route 52/06) just north of Coal Heritage Road (U.S. 52), on the left when traveling north. It is at Koppers Stores, also known as Houston Coal Company Store, in its parking lot, facing the road. Marker is at or near this postal address: 13 King Carswell Rd, Kimball WV 24853
Photographed by J. J. Prats
Source: Historic Marker Database

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See also:

Carswell Mine Explosion, Jan. 22, 1941

6 Men killed by Mine Explosion
Washington Post, District of Columbia
July 19, 1919

Bluefield, W. Va., July 18. -- Six men were killed today in an explosion at the Carswell Mine at Kimball, 20 miles west of Bluefield. The cause of the explosion is unknown.

The dead are:

M. T. Roberts, mine foreman
John Tooms
John Tooley
Charles Chapman
Elbert Smith
Richard Kennedy

First reports to Bluefield this afternoon were that 21 men had been killed. Continued searching and checking of the employees, about 50 of whom were in the mine at the time of the explosion, showed six met death. All bodies were recovered. No one was injured.

The mine which is one of the small shaft mines in the Pocahontas fields is owned and operated by the Houston Collieries Company. It has an output of 500 tons a day.

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Houston Collieries CompanyCarswell Mine Explosion

Houston Collieries Company
Carswell Mine Explosion