Tank's Poetry
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united states mine rescue association
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Tank's Poetry |
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From the Google News Archives:  (news links open in a separate window)
Rescuer Death During the fire at the No. 15 mine of the Pursglove Mining Company, an act of heroism cost the life of Guy Quinn, 38-year-old night-foreman, who escaped after the fire but returned to open two ventilating doors in an effort to save his trapped comrades. He had managed to open one door but was overcome while working on the other. Source document
12 Trapped by Mine Fire; Feared Dead Charleston Gazette, West Virginia January 9, 1943 Harry McNary, senior engineer for the bureau's mineral resources division, made the statement after a partial inspection of the workings where a fire starting in a mine motor caught 78 members of the night shift underground. The body of one miner already had been recovered, 65 were known to be safe and late tonight company officials said they had determined definitely that 12 men were trapped behind the wall of fire and dense smoke. The flames still raged during the night and rescue crews could make but slow progress because of the heat. An act of heroism cost the life of Guy Quinn, 38-year-old night-foreman, who escaped after the fire but returned to open two ventilating doors in an effort to save his trapped comrades. He died of suffocation and his body was brought out shortly after noon. He had managed to open one door but was overcome while working on the other. Alex Bryce, state mine inspector, said there was a bare possibility that the 12 missing men could have worked toward the No. 13 heading and passed through a trap door to fresh air. The official list of missing at No. 15, short distance from No. 2 mine where 20 men died in an explosion last July, was:
Crews were both in front of the blaze and behind it, battling through the total blackness of billows of smoke, while outside there stood the usual group of wives, mothers and children who refused to give up hope until some definite word came out. Pursglove No. 15 is about seven miles from Morgantown and there were crowds of onlookers throughout the day. All they saw, however, were the tired crews coming out and new ones going in while the overworked ventilating system poured out clouds of smoke. State and county officers were on hand to preserve order. It was Ray Lee, a fire boss, who related the story of Quinn's heroism. Lee said he and a companion were trudging toward the entry when they met Quinn hurrying in the opposite direction toward the fire.Quinn's body was brought out during the noon hour. There were no marks on it and officials said it was obvious he had died of suffocation. Quinn is survived by his widow, a daughter, 18 and a son, 11. |
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