Miners Killed in the Scotia Mine Explosions

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Victims of the Scotia Coal Mine Explosions

Scotia Coal Company
Scotia Mine Explosions

Oven Fork, Letcher County, Kentucky

March 9, 1976
No. Killed - 15

March 11, 1976
No. Killed - 11

Related Links:
•	Accident Description
•	Middlesboro, KY Daily News Articles
•	The Ballad of the Shadow Miner Written by E. B. "Reb" Allen 1976
•	Remembering Scotia by Bob Cornett

Scotia Mine Disaster Marker - Side 1
Scotia Mine Disaster Marker - Side 2
Location: 37° 2.881′ N, 82° 49.76′ W.
Marker is near Whitesburg, Kentucky, in Letcher County. Marker is on U.S. 119, 2.1 miles west of Kentucky Highway 806, on the left when traveling west. Marker is in this post office area: Cumberland KY 40823
Photographed by Duane Hall
Source: The Historical Marker Database

In the News
	The Lexington Herald, Mar. 13, 1976
	Lexington Herald-Leader, Mar. 14, 1976
	The Mountain Eagle, Mar. 18, 1976
	The Mountain Eagle, Mar. 18, 1976


	The Mountain Eagle, Mar. 18, 1976
	The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Mar. 25, 1976
	The Courier-Journal, Mar. 25, 1976
	Republican and Herald, Mar. 30, 1976

No.	Name	Age	Job Classification	Job Experience	Mining Experience
1	Glenn Barker	29	Motorman	5 yrs.	5 yrs.
2	Dennis Boggs	27	Utility Man	2 yrs.	2 yrs.
3	Everett Scott Combs	29	Ventilation	5 yrs. 3 mos.	5 yrs. 3 mos.
4	Virgil Coots	24	Section Foreman	7 mos.	4 yrs. 2 mos.
5	Don Creech	30	Utility Man	4 mos.	8 yrs. 4 mos.
6	Larry David McKnight	28	Motorman	1 yr. 10 mos.	3 yrs. 5 mos.
7	Earl Galloway	44	Shuttle Car Operator	11 yrs. 7 mos.	14 yrs. 7 mos.
8	David Gibbs	30	Repairman	10 yrs. 9 mos.	10 yrs. 9 mos.
9	Robert Griffith	24	Belt Cleaner	2 yrs.	2 yrs.
10	John Hackworth	29	Timberman	2 yrs. 6 mos.	2 yrs. 6 mos.
11	J. B. Holbrook	43	Tipple Operator	13 yrs.	13 yrs.
12	Kenneth B. Kiser	45	Federal Mine Inspector	5 yrs.	27 yrs.
13	Roy McKnight	31	Timberman	4 yrs. 6 mos.	4 yrs. 6 mos.
14	Lawrence Peavy	25	Supplyman	6 yrs. 8 mos.	6 yrs. 8 mos.
15	Carl Polly	47	Roof Bolter	7 yrs. 2 mos.	7 yrs. 2 mos.
16	Richard M. Sammons	55	Federal Mine Inspector	5 yrs.	26 yrs.
17	Tommy Ray Scott	24	Miner Operator	3 yrs. 6 mos.	3 yrs. 6 mos.
18	Ivan Gail Sparkman	34	Bratticeman	1 yr. 11 mos.	1 yr. 11 mos.
19	James Sturgill	46	Belt Cleaner	1 yr. 11 mos.	11 yrs. 11 mos.
20	Jimmy W. Sturgill	20	Utility Man	1 yr. 6 mos.	1 yr. 6 mos.
21	Monroe Sturgill	40	Roof Bolter	3 yrs. 10 mos.	13 yrs. 10 mos.
22	Kenneth Turner	25	Roof Bolter	3 yrs. 9 mos.	3 yrs. 9 mos.
23	Willie D. Turner	25	Shuttle Car Operator	5 yrs. 8 mos.	5 yrs. 8 mos.
24	Grover Tussey	45	Federal Mine Inspector	1 yr.	26 yrs.
25	Denver Widner	31	Ventilation	1 yr. 11 mos.	1 yr. 11 mos.
26	James Williams	23	Section Foreman	6 mos.	4 yrs.

Possible Errors
Discovered

Violent and Deadly
Explosives Disasters

NIOSH Mine
Disaster Table

Victims of the Scotia Coal Mine Explosions

Scotia Coal CompanyScotia Mine Explosions

Scotia Coal Company
Scotia Mine Explosions