1930 — Nov 29, Lutie No. 5 Coal Mine Gas Explosion, Lutie, OK                            —     15

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-24-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–15  AP. “Relief Work Begun After Mine Disaster.” Miami News-Record, OK. 12-1-1930, p. 3.

–15  Kalisch  “Ordeal of the Oklahoma Coal Miners,” p. 339 in Chronicles of Oklahoma, 1970. 

–15  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC.  Mine Disasters.

–15  United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. Lutie No. 5.

Narrative Information

Nov 29, AP: “Lutie, Okla., Nov. 29 – (AP) – Sixteen men were entombed today by an explosion in the No 5 mine of the Hailey-Ola Coal company, one and one-half miles east of here. The explosion occurred at about 12:30 p.m. The men were working in entry No. 10 1-2 about 1500 feet below the surface. H. G. Phillipi, foreman, said a rescue crew entered the mine at once but had been unable more than one hour later to reach the imprisoned men. Their fate was unknown. Lutie is in Latimer county only a few miles east of Wilburton, the scene of the state’s second greatest mine disaster.”[1] (Associated Press. “Sixteen Men Entombed In Mine Disaster Today.” Perry Daily Journal, OK. 11-29-1930, p. 1.)

 

Dec 1, AP: “Lutie, Okla., Dec. 1 – (AP) – Measures for relief of the distressed families of 15 miners, killed by an explosion at the No. 5 mine of the Hailey-Ola Coal company here Saturday, occupied the attention of Red Cross workers today. ‘Some arrangements for the families must be made. Most of them are destitute,’ Mrs. J. M. Harris of Wilburton, chairman of the Latimer county Red Cross organization said….All except three of the dead miners left families.

 

“Louis Pate and Louis McMahan, the only survivors of the 17 men in the entry where the explosion occurred, were reported recovering in the Hartshorne hospital.

 

“Thirteen men were killed outright, two dying later at the hospital at Hartshorne. Thirty-eight miners escaped without injury from other parts of the mine.” (Associated Press. “Relief Work Begun After Mine Disaster.” Miami News-Record, OK. 12-1-1930, p. 3.)

 

Dec 5, Latimer County News, OK. “Listing of Fatalities in the Lutie Mine Disaster.”[2]

  • L. B. Boyd, brought out of mine alive, died in Hartshorne Hospital
  • Lon Swindle, brought out of mine alive, died in Hartshorne Hospital
  • A. L. (Bud) Snow, 44, Center Point, wife and one child
  • J. H. Mcmahan, 29, wife and four children
  • August Mauer, 53, Red Oak, single
  • G. W. Paden, 38, wife and four children
  • J. W. Wilburn, 44, Wilburton, wife and two children
  • L. B. Boyd, 22, single
  • Mike Maskasky, 46, Lutie, wife and three children
  • Tony Busselatto, 49, Lutie, wife and three children
  • Pete Busselatto, (son of Tony), 20, single
  • Louis Zoia, 62, wife and five children
  • Joseph Guerra, 51, Lutie, wife and eight children
  • Raymond Sutmiller, 18, Lutie, single
  • Roy Everett Pate, 20, Lutie, single
  • Cal Evans, 38, Lutie, wife and four children
  • Lon C. Swindell, 38, Lutie, wife and two children

Sources

 

Associated Press. “Relief Work Begun After Mine Disaster.” Miami News-Record, OK. 12-1-1930, p. 3. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/miami-daily-news-record-dec-01-1930-p-3/

 

Associated Press. “Sixteen Men Entombed In Mine Disaster Today.” Perry Daily Journal, OK. 11-29-1930, p. 1. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/perry-journal-nov-29-1930-p-1/

 

Kalisch, Philip A. “Ordeal of the Oklahoma Coal Miners,” pp. 331-340 in Chronicles of Oklahoma, Vol. XVLIII, No. 3. 1970.  Digitized by Google. Accessed at:  http://books.google.com/books?id=1TMUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA338&dq=Bureau+of+Mines+Bulletin+586&ei=OL1eSdaRFYPmzATs-ZS_BA#PPA263,M1

 

Latimer County News, OK. “Listing of Fatalities in the Lutie Mine Disaster.” 12-5-1930. Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/lutie_news_only.htm

 

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 1-24-2025 at: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NIOSH-Mining/MMWC/MineDisasters/Table

 

United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Hali-Okla Coal Company Lutie No. 5 Mine Explosion, Lutie, Oklahoma, November 29, 1930, No. Killed – 15.” Accessed 1-24-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/lutie_news_only.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] 91 deaths at No. 21 coal mine, Wilburton, 1-13-1926.

[2] Transcribed in Mine Disaster in the United States, United States Mine Rescue Association.