Eight Miners Killed
Bradford Era, Pennsylvania
May 26, 1928
Wilkes Barre, Pa., May 25. -- (AP) -- Eight mine workers were killed and five injured in a gas explosion in the Conyngham shaft of the Hudson Coal Company here today.
The dead were identified as:
Daniel Gallagher
Louis Olson
Vincent Miscavage
Daniel Norton
Michael Consavage, all of Wilkes-Barre
Morris Ryan, Parsons
George Oka, Parsons
George Spatovitch, Parsons
The blast occurred under the center of the city in a section which had been idle for several years and in which work was resumed last week. Sparks from a motor are believed to have ignited a pocket of gas.
Company officials placed a heavy guard about the colliery to keep back the hundreds who endeavored to get some word of the men underground.
Penetrate into Wrecked Mine to Recover Bodies
New Castle News, Pennsylvania
May 26, 1928
Wilkes-Barre, Pa., May 26. -- With eight men known dead and six injured, three seriously, relief crews today continued to search the wrecked interior of the Conyngham Shaft of the No. 5 colliery of the Hudson Coal Company for other possible victims of the gas explosion that rocked the operation yesterday.
Cave-ins in several sections of the mine hampered relief work and for a time it was reported that eight other miners were missing. Late yesterday, however, company officials announced that the toll of the blast was eight killed and six hurt.
Blast Cause Unknown
Although several theories had been advanced, the cause of the blast had not been definitely determined.
The dead were:
Vincent Miscavage, 25, Wilkes-Barre
Daniel Gallagher, 23, Wilkes-Barre
Daniel Norton, 29, Wilkes-Barre
Lewis Olson, 30, Wilkes-Barre
Michael Consavage, 31, Wilkes-Barre
Morris Ryan, Parsons
George Oka, 42, Parsons
George Spatovitch, Parsons
In the General Hospital here in a serious condition are:
Joseph McLaughlin, 28, Wilkes-Barre
Michael Monko, 26, Wilkes-Barre
Michael Popvich, 38, Wilkes-Barre
Discharged after being treated for minor burns were:
Stanley Kolkem, Wilkes-Barre
Anthony Miscavage, 64, Wilkes-Barre
John Jones, Parsons
Several men on the rescue crews reported that the force of the explosion was terrific, literally blowing the bodies of the men to pieces. Identification was made by checking the numbers of the safety lamps the men carried into the mine.
