1962 — Jan 10, Blue Blaze No. 2 Coal Mine gas and dust Explosion, Carterville, IL — 11
— 11 Mt. Vernon Register-News, IL. “11 Miners Killed at Carterville.” 1-11-1962, p. 1.
— 11 NFPA. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).
— 11 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC. Mine Disasters.
— 11 U.S. Bureau of Mines. Final report of major mine-explosion disaster, Mine No. 2…
— 11 United States Mine Rescue Assoc. All Coal Mine Disasters in the United States By Year.
Narratives
US Bureau of Mines: “A gas and dust explosion occurred in Mine No. 2 of the Blue Blaze Coal Company, 2 miles northwest of Herrin, Illinois, about 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, January 10, 1962, and caused the death of 11 men. These persons were the only persons in the mine and all died from suffocation, burns and/or forces. The investigation concludes that the explosion originated in room 2 off 3 north entry at the neck of the second north crosscut when an explosive mixture of methane-air was ignited by an electric arc or spark from a piece of electrical equipment. The explosion was propagated by methane and coal dust.” (US Bureau of Mines. Final report of major mine-explosion disaster, Mine No. 2, Blue Blaze Coal Company, Herrin, Williamson County, Illinois, January 10, 1962. 1962.)
Newspaper Article
Jan 11: “Carterville, Ill. (AP) – Eleven coal miners trapped since around 6 p.m. Wednesday night in a small coal mine 168 feet below the surface were found dead today. Two rescue crews located the bodies. They said it appeared that the men were killed instantly by the explosion. One body was found at the bottom of the shaft; two others were nearby and eight bodies were located
some 500 feet from the shaft, where the coal vein was being worked….
“Ray McCluskey, of Carterville, a state mine inspector, said he had checked the mine Monday and pronounced it safe at the time….
“The blast occurred shortly after 6 p.m., about two hours after the men entered the mine, which is located in a rural area 83 miles southeast of St. Louis. The mine, operated by the Blue Blaze Coal Co., was opened about six months ago….
“The list of dead in last night’s Carterville mine disaster:
Ira Yewell,
Virgil Tanner, and
Ira Williams, all of Carterville;
Ralph Brandon,
Bill Gartner,
Melvin Ramsey and
Roy Woods, all of Herrin;
John Barkus of Hurst;
Alpha Horsley of Carbondale;
Willie Gulley of West Frankfort, and
Howard Kimmel of DeSoto.”
(Mt. Vernon Register-News, IL. “11 Miners Killed at Carterville.” 1-11-1962, p. 1.)
Sources
Mt. Vernon Register-News, IL. “11 Miners Killed at Carterville.” 1-11-1962, p. 1. Accessed 11-9-2014 at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=162413628&sterm=blue+blaze
National Fire Protection Association. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003). (Email attachment to B. W. Blanchard from Jacob Ratliff, NFPA Archivist/Taxonomy Librarian, 7-8-2013.)
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. At: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/disall.htm > and http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/content/allminingdisasters.html
United States Bureau of Mines (F. J. Smith). Final report of major mine-explosion disaster, Mine No. 2, Blue Blaze Coal Company, Herrin, Williamson County, Illinois, January 10, 1962. 1962. Abstract accessed 11-9-2014 at: http://librarycatalog.dol.gov/client/en_US/wirtz/search/detailnonmodal;jsessionid=1B58508CA07C406C434F2D9889E2D649?qu=Smith%2C+F.+J.&d=ent%3A%2F%2FSD_ILS%2F121%2FSD_ILS%3A121499~ILS~0~69&ic=true&te=ILS&ps=300
United States Mine Rescue Association. All Coal Mine Disasters in the United States By Year (webpage). “All Coal Disaster in the Year 1962. Accessed 11-9-2014 at: http://www.usmra.com/Mine_Disasters/search_all_year_coal.asp?ACC_YEAR=1962&x=17&y=12