While seven men were traveling on foot to their respective working places along a tunnel, a terrific explosion occurred, killing them instantly. The bodies were horribly mangled, indicating that an explosion of dynamite was the cause of the accident. What caused the dynamite to explode was undetermined.
(From the 1906 Pennsylvania Anthracite Dept. of Mines Annual Report)
John Kutsko, Luthuanian, repairman;
Anthony Check, Lithuanian, repairman;
Felix Varacofski, Polish, miner;
Joseph Batusky, Lithuanian, driver;
John Juko, Polish, miner;
James Quinofski, Polish, miner; and
Walter Quinofski, Polish, miner, went to their work about 6:55 a.m. on the first lift, Buck Mountain Slope.
Kutsko, Check and Juko had just reached a tunnel between the fifth and sixth breasts when a terrific explosion occurred, instantly killing them.
The bodies of those found near the tunnel were horribly mangled, indicating that dynamite was the cause of the accident. Joseph Batusky was found at No. 9 breast, having been thrown from his mule, and smothered by fine dirt and rock that rushed over his face when the timber was blown out. Joseph and Walter Quinofski and Varacofski were found at the sixteenth and seventeenth breasts, having been crushed by falling timber.
The explosion at the mouth of the tunnel was evidently caused by dynamite and black powder. This was indicated by the mangled bodies, the broken and shattered timbers, the pulverized rock and coal, and the heated condition of the debris that burned the hands when placed near it.
