1941 – July 10, AL Fuel and Iron Co. Acmar No. 6 coal mine gas explosion, Acmar, AL– 11
Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 9-24-2024 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/
–11 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC. Mine Disasters.
–11 United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “…Acmar…”
Narrative Information
Bureau of Mines: “Ignition of methane near the face of the 8th right entry about 5:00 p.m. resulted in a local gas and dust explosion that killed the 11 men working in the entry. Men in other sections of the mine were not affected. A concussion was felt on the slope, and dust and papers were raised in the air; shortly afterward smoke appeared, and the chainer called the surface, Power was cut off
the mine, and the night foreman went down after calling for assistance. Three mine officials and 12 rescue men with oxygen breathing apparatus were in the mine by 6: 00 p.m. Two crews with apparatus restored ventilation and recovered nine bodies by about 10:00 p, m. Two bodies were found under falls on July 11 and 12.
“The night shift had gone in at 4: 00 o’clock, and men in the 8th right heading were loading and raising cars from the 8th right aircourse through a slant. A hoist and cable were used to bring these cars up to the entry. An arc from the open switch controlling the hoist motor ignited gas. Methane accumulated because of interruptions to ventilation, such as opened doors and curtains, power failures that shut down the mine fan, and leakage through stoppings. Examinations for gas during the day shift did not show an accumulation.
“The force of the explosion was confined to a distance of 600 feet from the face of the entry and 3 rooms within that area. Stoppings were blown out throughout the explosion zone. Coal dust was burned, but the pressure dropped where the rooms afforded a large expansion area and propagation stopped. Sprinkling was done but no rock dust was used in the summer months.”
Sources
Bureau of Mines, US Department of the Interior. July 10, 1941; Acmar No. 6 Mine, Acmar, Ala.; 11 Killed. Accessed 9-24-2024 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/1941_Acmar_AL_report.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 at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/disall.htm
and http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/content/allminingdisasters.html
United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Alabama Fuel and Iron Company Acmar No. 6 Mine Explosion.” Accessed 9-24-2024 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/acmar_1941_news_only.htm