Pleasant Valley Company Winter Quarters Nos. 1 & 4 Mine Explosion
a.k.a. Scofield Mine
Scofield, Carbon County, Utah
May 1, 1900
No. Killed - 200
Utah Annual Report Description(3.2 Mb)Correspondence and Annual Report Excerpt(599 Kb)Narrative: Two men wearing the old-time oil lamps, were making up some cartridges of black blasting powder at a point in their workroom where they had at least three and probably more, twenty-five pound kegs of black powder. Flame of their open light in some way or other came into contact with the granular black blasting powder and the explosion was precipitated with the resultant death of at least 200 lives and the wrecking of the mine in which the explosion occurred. This mine was not re-opened for nearly ten years after the explosion.
See more disasters probably caused by smoking articles or open lights.
Winter Quarters Mine Disaster Monument(2.3 Mb)Headless Ghost Haunts Mine(2.1 Mb)
In the News (news links open in a separate window in PDF format)
(From the State Mine Inspector's Report. 1900, pp. 64-102)
At 10:25 in the morning an explosion originating in No. 4 mine cost 200 men their lives and injured 7. Two men came out of No. 4 mine uninjured, and 103 came out of the connecting No. 1 mine uninjured.
The explosion occurred at the head of the "Pike's Peak" section. It was caused by an accidental explosion of black powder or a windy or blown-out shot. The amount of powder taken in the mine was very large. 30 kegs were exploded in all throughout the mine, adding to the force of the explosion.
Part of the blast shot out to the surface through No. 4 tunnel and airshaft, and part went through No. 1 mine. This part soon lost its force and heat as the dust in No. 1 mine was damp.
There were 60 men smothered by the afterdamp; they were not burned. At no time has there been known to exist in the mines, any explosive gases, before or since the explosion.
No mine is safe without a sufficient amount of moisture to keep the dust damp. I have suggested to the companies that they put a watering system in all the mines, so that every place can be sprinkled. This company has complied.
Source:
Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the United States - Volume I
Correspondence and Annual Report Excerpt (599 Kb) 
