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Cedar Coal and Coke Company
Toller Mine Explosion

Tollerville, Las Animas County, Colorado
July 6, 1909
No. Killed - 9

Colorado Inspector of Coal Mines Report  PDF Format
Nine Men Dead in Big Gas Explosion
Anaconda Standard, Montana
July 7, 1909

Trinidad, Col., July 6. -- Nine men were killed today by an explosion of gas in the mine of the Cedar Coal and Coke Company at Tollerville, near here.  All of the dead were foreigners, except Albert Noah, cage tender, an American.

Ten men were descending in the cage at the time of the explosion.  The explosion partly wrecked the shaft and those who were not instantly killed were slowly suffocated by gas.  All of the bodies have been recovered.

General excitement followed the explosion, which shook all the buildings in the little camp.  The entire population, men, women and children, gathered about the mouth of the mine, and many of the frenzied women were with difficulty restrained from entering the mine to search for their husbands.

The cause of the explosion has not been determined.




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