1946 — Jan 15, excessive charge explosion, No. 9 Havaco Mine (New River Co.), Havaco, WV–15
Compiled 11-9-2023 by Wayne Blanchard for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–15 Bureau of Mines. Final Report of Mine Explosion No. 9 Havaco Mine…West Virginia, January 15, 1946.
–15 United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “New River…”
–15 WV Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training. WV Mine Disasters 1884 to Present
Narrative Information
Bureau of Mines. Final Report of Mine Explosion No. 9 Havaco Mine…[WV], Jan 15, 1946:
Introduction
“An explosion occurred in the No. 9 Havaco mine of the New River and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company at Havaco, McDowell County, West Virginia, at 9:35 a.m., January 15, 1946. Two hundred and seventy men were in the mine at the time of the explosion. Of this number, 234 escaped to the surface unaided, 24 were injured and had to be rescued, 12 were killed outright by flames, violence, and afterdamp, and 3 died later in the hospital. In addition, 12 employees on the tipple and at the surface plant were seriously injured and 8 customers in the company store about 500 feet from the hoisting shaft were cut by flying glass.
“The explosion was caused by the firing of an unconfined, excessive charge of nonpermissible explosive [Dupont Special Gelatin-40%; p.8] in a dusty location while blasting rock in the empty branch, 640 feet from the bottom of the hoisting shaft. It was a local explosion although exceedingly violent near the shaft bottom, and it released to the surface through the hoisting shaft, wrecking the head frame, steel tipple, and adjacent surface buildings…. [p. 3.]
“The No. 9 Havaco mine of the New River and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company is at Havaco, McDowell County, West Virginia, 1 mile from Welch, West Virginia…. [p.3.]
Lessons To Be Learned From The Conditions As They Relate To the Explosion
“1. The outstanding lesson to be learned from this explosion is that low-volatile bituminous coal dust is capable, under favorable conditions, of initiating and propagating an explosion, and that the presence of methane is not essential for the initiation or propagation of coal-dust explosions. A substandard amount of inert material in the mixed dust will not prevent propagation, even if the dust is low in volatile matter.
“2. Effective dust-allaying methods, when properly carried out in face regions, long haulage roads, and in the tipple, would reduce the dustiness of hoisting operations, and would, therefore, minimize dust deposits around the shaft bottom. [p.22.]
“3. Occasional or even frequent washing down of coal dust in the vicinity of dusty shaft bottoms is not effective unless the combustible content of subsequent dust deposits is maintained below prescribed limits by the application of rock dust.
“4. while it is a recognized fact that permissible explosives are capable of igniting coal dust under certain favorable conditions, it is also known that dynamite, in any form, is much more likely to ignite coal dust because of the higher temperature, longer duration, and greater volume of the flame produced by the detonation of dynamite.
“5. A well-designed ventilation system, such as the one in use at this mine, is almost certain to minimize the severity of explosions, regardless of whether they are due to methane or coal-dust. The modern design of the ventilation system at this mine, together with the fortunate collapse of the main dip overcast at the time of the explosion, prevented the afterdamp from entering the working sections in dangerous concentrations and also greatly facilitated rescue work….” [p. 23.]
Appendix D
List of Men Killed (or Died) Mine Explosion No. 9 Havaco, New River and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company January 15, 1946
John L. Smith 62 Killed Coal inspector Widow
Ernest Bell 38 Killed Driller Widow and 2 children
Albert Amburn 34 Killed Brattice helper Widow and 2 children
Walter Bell 37 Killed Cager helper Widow
Earl Frank Belcher 35 Killed Mine foreman Widow and 4 children
Cleveland Hale 56 Killed Bottom motorman Widow and 9 children
Luther Tolley 34 Killed Driller Widow and 4 children
- Lawrence Carper 33 Died 1/16/46 Union checkweighman Widow and 2 children
Clarence Hale 24 Died 1/16/46 Cager Widow
Pete J. Morgan 50 Killed Brakeman Widow and 2 children
William Cooper 33 Died 1/16/46 Main-line motorman Widow and 4 children
Ira James Alderson 18 Killed Check puller Single
Albert Miller 51 Killed Assistant superintendent Widow and 4 children
James G. Gibson 54 Killed Weigh boss Widow and 3 children
Luther Talent 42 Killed Car-dropper Widow and 3 children
[p. 30.]
(Bureau of Mines. Final Report of Mine Explosion No. 9 Havaco Mine, New River and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company, Havaco, McDowell County, West Virginia, January 15, 1946.)
Sources
Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior. Final Report of Mine Explosion No. 9 Havaco Mine, New River and Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Company, Havaco, McDowell County, West Virginia, January 15, 1946. Mount Hope, WV: Bureau of Mines Originating Office. Accessed 11-10-2023 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/havaco_1946.pdf
United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “New River & Pocahontas Consolidated Coal Co., Havaco No. 9 Mine Explosion. Welch, McDowell County, West Virginia, January 15, 1946.” Accessed 11-10-2023 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/havaco_news_only.htm
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