1914 — Apr 28, New River Coal Mine Nos. 5 & 6 gas & dust explosions, Eccles, WV– 183

— 183 Dillon, They Died In Darkness. 1976, p. 120.
— 183 US Mine Rescue Assoc. Mine Disasters in the [US]. “New River…Eccles…”
— 183 West Virginia Office Miners’ Health Safety and Training. WV Mine Disasters…
— 183 West Virginia Division of Culture and History, “Eccles/Benwood Coal Mine Disasters.”
— 182 National Fire Protection Association. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996.
— 181 Chicago Daily News Almanac & Yearbook 1919. “Great Mining Disasters…,” 169
— 181 Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). 1982, p. 315.
— 181 Mine Safety and Health Administration, A Pictorial Walk Through the 20th Century
— 181 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC. Mine Disasters.

Narrative Information

Bureau of Mines (Paul, Mason and Rice): “At 2:10 p.m., and explosion in No. 5 mine killed every man in the mine; and in No. 6 mine, working the seam above, 8 men were killed by afterdamp and 66 escaped, but 1 died later from injuries sustained while getting on the cage.

“The explosion originated in No. 5 mine, and there the heat and violence were so great that few of the 171 men in those workings could have lived any considerable time after the explosion.

“About 10 minutes after the first explosion, a second but less violent explosion occurred, carrying debris out the No. 5 shaft.

“The first and more violent explosion, accompanied by flame, carried timbers and quantities of mud up both shafts and blew of the explosion doors of the funhouse at No. 5 shaft, but did not damage the fan.

“The explosion wave in No. 5 mine traveling toward No. 6 shaft blew a large quantity of water from a depression near the shaft up the shaft. This quenched the flame and prevented it from entering No. 6 mine. Rescue workers entered through No. 6 shaft.

“Crews from other mines and Bureau of Mines men in apparatus assisted in exploring and in restoring ventilation.

“A contractor had blasted out a coal barrier 4 feet thick between 2 mine sections, causing the air to be short-circuited in 1 section. Gas accumulated and was ignited by the open light of the contractor or by a blown-through shot of permissible explosive. The explosion was carried to other parts of the mine by dust.

“Although the mine was well ventilated, gas was occasionally found by fire bosses. Open lights were used, but a change was made to Hirsch electric cap lamps after this explosion.

“Two men were employed in sprinkling throughout the mine, but the State Inspector had reported dusty places requiring more efficient watering.

“The second explosion probably occurred when gas came in contact with fire resulting from the first explosion.

“Use of safety lamps, removal of dust, and the application of stone dust on entries were recommended.” (Bureau of Mines. Report by J. W. Paul, H. D. Mason and G. S. Rice. Excerpted from Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the [U.S.’ – Volume I, by US Mine Rescue Assoc.)

Dillon: “On April 28, 1914, at 2:30 in the afternoon the No. 5 Mine let go with a horrendous explosion that shook buildings in Beckley four miles away….

“When the mine exploded, the first indication was a growling rumbling noise that made everyone hesitate for a few seconds and then came fear and reality of what had happened. But the mine let them know with sure evidence a few instants later when came the real explosion. The dust had ignited from the gas explosion and nearly blew the mines inside out. To describe the outside discharge is beyond the imagination. At the shaft mouth out came everything such as parts of humans, mine cars, mine timbers, bits of metal, rocks, and pieces of mules….

“A black spiral of smoke rose from the shaft, spiraling high enough to be seen in Beckley….

“On the fourth day, the rescue men found their first bodies….All of the 183 bodies were not recovered until the middle of May…” (Dillon 1976)

WV Div. Culture and History: “The explosion at the New River Collieries mine was blamed on an impatient contractor who had cut through a coal barrier that kept fresh air flowing. Since the mine’s ventilation was disrupted, methane gas built up and finally ignited. 183 bodies were recovered, making the Eccles disaster West Virginia’s second deadliest.” (West Virginia Division of Culture and History, “Eccles/Benwood Coal Mine Disasters.”)

Sources

Bureau of Mines. Report by J. W. Paul, H. D. Mason and G. S. Rice. Excerpted from Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the United States – Volume I, by US Mine Rescue Association at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/eccles.htm

Chicago Daily News Almanac and Yearbook 1919. James Langland, (Ed.). Chicago: Chicago Daily News Company. Digitized by Google at: http://books.google.com/books?id=f6l-dsvnjhEC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982.

Dillon, Lacy A. They Died in Darkness. Parsons, WV: McClain Printing Co., 1976.

Mine Safety and Health Administration. “A Pictorial Walk Through the 20th Century – Collieries, Tipples, Headframes and Plants.” Arlington, VA: MSHA, U.S. Department of Labor. Accessed 12-30-2008 at: http://www.msha.gov/century/colliery/colliery.asp

National Fire Protection Association. Key Dates in Fire History. 1996. Accessed 2010 at: http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1352&itemID=30955&URL=Research%20&%20Reports/Fire%20statistics/Key%20dates%20in%20fire%20history&cookie%5Ftest=1

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Safety and Health Research.. Mining Disasters (Incidents with 5 or more Fatalities). NIOSH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2-26-2013 update. Accessed at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/disall.htm
and http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/content/allminingdisasters.html

United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “New River Collieries Company Eccles Nos. 5 and 6 Mine Explosions.” Accessed 5-28-2020 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/eccles.htm

West Virginia Division of Culture and History. Time Trail, West Virginia. “April 28, 1914/1924: Eccles/Benwood Coal Mine Disasters.” At: http://www.wvculture.org/history/timetrl/ttapr.html#0407

West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training. WV Mine Disasters 1884 to Present. MHS&T, October 9, 2008 update. At: http://www.wvminesafety.org/disaster.htm