Twenty-six men were rescued on Thursday following an undisclosed period after undergoing frightful experiences.
(From Bureau of Mines report, by J. J. Rutledge, C. S. Stevenson, W. T. Burgess, and R. Y. Williams)
At 9:05 a.m. the seventh explosion since the mine was opened in 1902 killed 73 of the 97 men in the mine. Dust issued from the slope mouth, and in a few minutes 6 men came out the escapeway and 2 men from the main slope and reported the explosion.
Fourteen men saved themselves by closing off a pump chamber and breaking the compressed-air line at the pump. They were released by a rescue party about 23 hours later (24, p. 13). One died while being carried out. Three others were brought out alive by rescue parties.
Rescue parties with open lights started to restore ventilation and brought out three live men. Later Bureau of Mines breathing apparatus and flame safety lamps arrived and were used by the rescue crews.
The mine was dry and dusty, although sprinkling was attempted. Standing gas in three places had been reported that morning. While the fireboss was moving this gas, it was ignited by the open lights of men waiting in the entry under direct charge of the foreman. Dust and gas spread the explosion.
Sending the men into the mine before the gas accumulations were removed was in violation of the State law, as was reported by the State inspector.
Meet Death in Pit; Forty Miners Known to Have Been Killed as Result of Explosion
The Manti Messenger, Utah
March 29, 1912
Fort Smith, Ark., Mar. 21 -- Eighty-one miners were killed Wednesday as the result of an explosion in Mine No. 2 of the Sans Bois Coal Company at McCurtain, Okla., thirty-seven miles west of here.
Eleven of the miners escaped shortly after the explosion occurred. Several of these are injured so seriously that it is believed they will die.
Twenty-six men were rescued on Thursday after undergoing frightful experiences. Many of the miners who lost their lives are supposed to have died after the explosion, the foul air causing their deaths.
The explosion occurred shortly after 9 o'clock Wednesday morning. According to an official statement from the offices of the Fort Smith & Western Railways company, owners of the property, 116 men were working in the mine at the time. Whether gas or coal dust caused the explosion has not been determined.
Listing of the dead in the McCurtain mine disaster from rootsweb.com/okleflor.
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