1943 – Nov 6, American Rolling Mill Co., Nellis Mine No. 3 methane explosion, Madison, WV–11
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-23-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–11 Bureau of Mines, US Dept. of Interior. Final Report of Mine Explosion, Nellis No. 3…
–11 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC. Mining Disasters: 1839 to Present.
–11 WV Miners’ Office of Health Safety and Training. WV Mine Disasters 1884 to Present.
Narrative
Bureau of Mines, US Dept. of Interior. Final Report of Mine Explosion, Nellis No. E…:
“A local mine explosion occurred about 7:00 p.m., November 6, 1943, at the Nellis No. 3 mine of the American Rolling Mill Company, Nellis, Boone County, West Virginia. Forty men were in the mine at the time of the explosion, and eleven of these lost their lives. Nine men were killed by violence, burns, and afterdamp, and two others died in the hospital several hours later. Twenty-nine men escaped unassisted. None of these was injured, but some suffered slightly from the effects of carbon monoxide.
“The explosion was caused by an ignition of methane, in room 38 off 24 north entry, either by an arc from the locomotive cable nip, or by the open-type cutting machine. The most probable source of ignition appears to have been the locomotive, the controller of which was on the second point. The methane was released when the cutting machine cut through into 25 south, an entry which was abandoned about 1935. This entry had not been ventilated or inspected.
“The explosion was confined to five rooms that were being driven from 24 north; about 800 feet of the 23 and 24 north entries; and the 25 and 26 south entries off 11 west.
“Some rock-dusting by hand had been done in working places on the affected section and on the haulageways. It is believed that this played little or no part in stopping the explosion, but that it was limited by the wetness of the 23 and 24 north entries. Water is not used for wetting or allaying coal dust in mining operations on this section, but there did not appear to be any accumulation of dust….” [p. 1 of 25.]
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC. Mine Disasters:
“11/06/1943…Nellis No. 3…Madison…WV…11…Coal…Explosion…UG [underground].”
WV Miners’ Office of Health Safety and Training. WV Mine Disasters 1884 to Present:
“Nov. 8, 1943…American Rolling Mill Co. …Nellis No. 3…Nellis…Explosion…11 [deaths].”
Sources
Bureau of Mines, US Dept. of Interior. Final Report of Mine Explosion, Nellis No. 3 Mine, The American Rolling Mill Company, Nellis, Boone County, West Virginia, November 6, 1943. Accessed 4-23-2024 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/nellis_1943.pdf
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 4-23-2024 at:
https://wwwn.cdc.gov/NIOSH-Mining/MMWC/MineDisasters/Table
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