1932 — Dec 9, Zero Coal Mine Dust Explosion, Harlan Fuel Company, Yancey, KY — 23

lornajarrettblanchard December 9, 1932

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 1-12-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–23 Bureau of Mines. Report of Explosion in Zero Mine, Harlan Fuel Company, Yancey [KY].

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

–23 United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Zero Mine.”

Narrative Information

Bureau of Mines. Report of Explosion in Zero Mine, Harlan Fuel Company, Yancey [KY]:

“A coal dust explosion occurred about 8:30 a.m. central time Friday December 9, 1932 in the Zero Mine of the Harlan Fuel Company, Yancey, Harlan County, Kentucky. The explosion involved all of the active portion of the mine and resulted in the death of 23 men. Fourteen men escaped unassisted. Several of the bodies were severely burned. Eight men died of carbon monoxide, 3 of whom had traveled about 1200 feet and one about 600 feet…..”

United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Zero Mine.” —

“Description: A coal dust explosion occurred and resulted in the death of 23 men. Eight men died of carbon monoxide, while others were severely burned. The explosion originated in a crosscut between rooms 5 and 6, 1st left off 2 south. Two holes were fired in the crosscut, both of which blew through as holes were drilled on the solid and within 14 inches of being drilled through. Both were windy shots; but the second ignited coal dust, which propagated an explosion over almost one-third of the mine before forces died away.”

“The deceased:

Henry Massengill
Calvin Massengill
Garrett Massengill
Esaw Massengill
Campbell M. Massengill
George Hendricks
Herman Eddie
Charles Davenport
Henry Hibbard
O. A. Romine
Arthur L. Woods
Harold Woods
Will Reynolds
Eugene Woods
Ben Fields
Harrison Jackson
Jim Davis
Mace Turnbough
Alfred Graves
Will Newell
Robert Benbo
Luther Jones.”

Sources

Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of Commerce. Report of Explosion in Zero Mine, Harlan Fuel Company, Yancey, Kentucky, December 9, 1932. Accessed 1-12-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/1932_Zero_Mine_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. “Harlan Fuel Company, Zero Mine Explosion, Yancey, Harlan County, Kentucky, December 9, 1932, No. Killed – 23.” Accessed 1-12-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/zero_news_only.htm