1926 — Sep 03, coal mine gas explosion, Tahona No. 29 Coal Mine, Tahona, OK — 16
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-13-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–16 Bureau of Mines, US Dept. of Commerce. Report of Explosion, No. 29 Mine…Tahona…
–16 United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. Tahona.
Narrative Information
Bureau of Mines, US Dept. of Commerce. Report of Explosion, No. 29 Mine…Tahona…:
“At about 8:40 A.M., an explosion occurred in the No. 29 Mine of the Superior Smokeless Coal and Mining Company, Tahona, Oklahoma, resulting in the death of 16 men. The only man in the 7½ West who escaped was a driver on the parting near the slope. Shortly after the first explosion a second slight explosion occurred caused by the ignition of gas on the 7th West Entry at about No. 3 Room. The men making their way out of the 7th West after the first explosion ran into the gas with their open carbide lamps, seven of them received slight burns.
“At the time of the explosion there were 141 men in the mine, of these 125 escaped unassisted, the explosion having been confined to the 7½ West Entry where it had its origin.
“Last Spring the rooms and entries were rock dusted and rock dust barriers were erected at numerous points in the mine, and it is believed that the rock dust together with the moist condition of the entries was largely responsible for the confining of the explosion to the entries in which it originated. [p. 1.]
….
“The explosion without question had its origin near the head of the 7½ West Entry and was due to the ignition of a body of gas, probably by an open light….” [p. 13]
Sources
Bureau of Mines, United States Department of Commerce. Report of Explosion, No. 29 Mine, Superior Smokeless Coal and Mining Company, Tahona, Le Flore County, Oklahoma. Accessed 3-13-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/tahona_report_1926.pdf
United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Superior Smokeless Coal Company, Tahona No. 29 Mine Explosion, Tahona, LeFlore County, Oklahoma, September 3, 1926, No. Killed – 16.” Accessed 3-13-2026 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/tahona_news_only.htm