1938 – Jan 12, Harwick Coal Mine #7 methane gas & coal dust explosion, Harwick, PA–10

–10  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC.  Mine Disasters.

–10  US Bureau of Mines. Explosion, Harwick Coal 7 Coke Company, Harwick, PA, Jan 12 1938.

Narrative Information

Bureau of Mines: “A gas and coal dust explosion occurred at approximately 11:10 a.m., January 12, 1938, in the Harwick Coal & Coke Company, Harwick, PA., resulting in the death of ten men, including three officials, and injury to two others.

“The Harwick mine is opened by shafts into the Thick Freeport coal bed, averaging seven feet in thickness. The mine employs 538 men with an average production of 3,500 tons daily. The room and pillar method of mining is used. The mine is classed as gassy and ‘makes’ about 235,5000 cubic feet of methane per twenty-four hours. Closed lights are used and the mine is well rock-dusted. Permissible explosives are used, fired by shot firers.

“There were thirty-eight men in the mine at the time of the explosion, this being a so-called idle day. These men, with the exception of seven men in the immediate explosion area, were in various parts of the mine, and some of them did not know of the explosion until informed some time after its occurrence. Seven men were working in the explosion area, including fireboss, all of whom were killed by violence and burns. Three men, including an assistant foreman, a fireboss, and a laborer, were in sections of the mine adjoining the explosion area and were asphyxiated by afterdamp.

“The cause of the explosion was not determined, insofar as the igniting agent is concerned; and while no definite cause of a gas accumulation can be determined, it is suspected that the ventilating current was short-circuited by a door having been left open. It is believed that the explosion was of electrical origin, although the fact cannot be definitely established. There were three electric locomotives in the section, and it was at first thought that one of these might be responsible for the explosion; however, during further investigation, all three locomotives were found with their trolley poles fastened down, providing that they were not in operation at the time of the explosion. It is possible that the gas may have been ignited by smoking, a flame safety lamp, or explosives, but no evidence was found to substantiate any of these as being a factor….”

Sources

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 Bureau of Mines. Explosion, Harwick Coal 7 Coke Company, Harwick, PA, January 12, 1938. Department of the Interior, 1938. Accessed 11-9-2024 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/1938_Harwick_Mine_Report.pdf