1947 – Apr 30, mining blast raises coal dust; explosion; Spring Hill Coal Co., Kerns Mine, Terre Haute IN–8
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard 10-14-2023 for upload to: https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–8 Bureau of Mines. Report of Mine Explosion, Kerns Mine, Spring Hill Coal Company…1947.
–8 United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Spring Hill.”
Narrative Information
Bureau of Mines: “An explosion occurred in the Kerns mine of the Spring Hill Coal Company about 6 miles southeast of Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, at 2:47 p.m., April 30, 1947, which resulted in the instant death of eight men by burns and violence. Eleven men were in the mine at the time of the explosion. The three survivors, who were near the bottom of the shaft when the explosion occurred, escaped to the surface unaided….
“The explosion was caused by coal dust which was probably raised into the air and ignited by black blasting powder, the shots being fired in a dependent sequence by means of fuse. It was a local explosion, although the entire working section of the mine was involved, and relatively strong forces reached the shaft bottom….”
United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “The Deceased”
- Chauncey Blackburn
- John Brown
- Fern Earhart
- Mort Gates
- Desire Lete
- Barney Riggs
- Steve Summers
- Calvin Wilson
Sources
Bureau of Mines. Report of Mine Explosion, Kerns Mine, Spring Hill Coal Company, Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, April 30, 1947. Vincennes, IN: Bureau of Mines, undated. Accessed 10-14-2023 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/1947_Kerns_Mine_Report.pdf
United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Spring Hill Company, Kerns Mine Explosives Detonation, Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, April 30, 1947. Accessed 10-14-2023 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/spring_hill.htm