1963 — Aug 27, Texas Gulf Sulphur Co., Potash Div., Cane Creek mine gas explos. ~Moab, UT-18

— 18  Bureau of Mines. Final Report of Major Mine-Explosion Disaster, Cane Creek Mine…

— 18  Cole, Jesse P. (MSHA District 4 Manager). “History of MSHA,” slide 28.

— 18  Long Beach Independent, CA. “5 More Miners Saved in UT; 18 Lives Lost,” 8-30-1963.

— 18  Bugbee. “Fire Protection Developments in 1963.” NFPA Quarterly, 57/3, Jan 1964, p. 212.

— 18  National Fire Protection Assoc. Spreadsheet on Large Loss of Life Fires (as of Feb 2003).

— 18  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC.  Mine Disasters.

— 18  U.S. Mine Rescue Assoc. Mine Disasters in the United States. “…Cane Creek Mine…”[1]

 

Narrative Information

 

Bureau of Mines: “….A gas explosion occurred in the Cane Creek mine about 4:40 p.m., Tuesday, August 27, 1963. Twenty-five men were underground at the time; l8 died from the flame, forces, or asphyxiation. Three men erected a barricade near the face of 2 south and died behind it. The other 7 men erected a barricade in 3U drift; 2 of these men left the barricade and traveled to the shaft station where they were met by a rescue crew and brought to the surface at 11:55 a.m., August 28, about 19 hours after the explosion occurred. The other 5 men remained behind the barricade until a recovery crew contacted them and they reached the surface without assistance at 6 :30 p.m., August 29, about 50 hours after the explosion. A surface employee received minor injuries and was hospitalized.” [p. 1.]  ….

 

“Cause of Explosion: The disaster was caused by the ignition of combustible gas in the shop area by electric arcs or sparks, open flame, or heated metal surfaces. The gas was liberated from blasting in the face of 2 south drift, and was carried by return air toward the shop. The fan, operated openly in the shop area, drew some of the gas-laden return air from 2 south into the shop and then recirculated it.” (Bureau of Mines, District H. Final Report of Major Mine-Explosion Disaster, Cane Creek Mine, Potash Division, Texas Gulf Sulphur Company, Grand County, Utah (Mine development under contract with Harrison International, Incorporated), August 27, 1963. Lakewood, CO: Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior, no date.)

 

U.S. Mine Rescue Assoc.: “A gas explosion occurred in the Cane Creek mine about 4:40 p.m., Tuesday, August 27, 1963.  Twenty-five men were underground at the time; 18 died from the flame, forces, or asphyxiation.

 

“Bureau of Mines investigators believe the explosion originated in the shop area where an explosive mixture of combustible gases was ignited by electrical arcs or sparks, open flame, or heated metal surfaces.  Forces of the explosion extended to the shaft station, up the shaft to the surface, and throughout the greater part of 2 south and 3U drifts.

 

“General Information

 

“The Cane Creek mine, Potash Division of the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company is in Grand County about 20 miles southwest of Moab, Utah, by road, and is reached by paved State Highway 279….

 

“A regular Federal inspection of this mine was made November 28-29, 1961, when the shaft was at a depth of 840 feet.  In addition, four separate investigations of fatal accidents were made by Bureau of Mines personnel prior to the explosion.

 

“Examination of the entire mine after the disaster showed that the explosion originated in the shop area.  All evidence indicated that the combustible gas ignited in the shop area was released at the face of 2 south drift when the round of shots were fired therein at 4:20 p.m.

 

“Summary of Evidence

 

“Conditions observed in the mine during recovery operations and the investigation that followed, together with information made available during interrogation and discussions with officials and employees of the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company and Harrison International, Incorporated provided evidence as to cause and origin of explosion. The evidence from which the conclusions of the Bureau of Mines investigators are drawn are summarized as follows:

 

  • One explosion occurred in which only combustible gas was involved.

 

  • The explosion occurred at 4:40 p.m., August 27, 1963.  This time was given by an underground official of the Texas Gulf Sulphur Company, who survived the explosion and was corroborated by an employee of Harrison International, Incorporated, who was on the surface at the time.

 

  • All victims in the vicinity of the shop and shaft station and two victims in 2 south drift were killed instantly.  Three men in the 2 south face area and three others in 3U drift died later of asphyxiation.

 

  • The 2 south face was blasted 20 minutes prior to the explosion.

 

  • Combustible gas was liberated from the 2 south face.  Sample No. 1289, collected August 31, 1963 in the face of 2 south after the explosion, contained 6.7 percent total hydrocarbons composed of 4.74 percent methane, 1.1 percent ethane, 0.5 percent propane, 0.24 percent butanes, and 0.12 percent pentanes.

 

  • Gas had been emitted with sufficient pressure during blast hole drilling in shale to eject the drill with force and push the drill and operator back 20 feet from the face.  Also, gas was released occasionally from fractures encountered in the strata during mining operations.

 

  • The calculated velocity of return air current in 2 south was adequate to carry combustible gas released at 2 south face after blasting at 4:20 p.m. to the shop at the time of explosion.

 

  • A fan, operated openly in the shop area, was capable of drawing some of the return air from 2 south and recirculating it within the shop.

 

  • Failure to find soot or low density carbon particles during comprehensive tests made of samples of fine solid materials collected in the shop indicates that acetylene did not enter into the explosion….

 

“Cause of Explosion

 

“The disaster was caused by the ignition of combustible gas in the shop area by electric arcs or sparks, open flame, or heated metal surfaces.  The gas was liberated from blasting in the face of 2 south drift, and was carried by return air toward the shop.  The fan, operated openly in the shop area, drew some of the gas-laden return air from 2 south into the shop and then recirculated it.” (U.S. Mine Rescue Assoc. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Texas Gulf Sulphur Co., Potash Div., Cane Creek Mine Explosion, Moab, Grand County, Utah, August 27, 1963.”)

 

Newspapers

 

Aug 27: “Moab, Aug. 27 – A roaring explosion — possibly methane gas — trapped at least 25 workmen more than 3,200 feet in the depths of the earth here Tuesday about 4:50 p.m. The blast sealed the Cane Creek structure of the Texas Gulf Sulphur Co’s potash mine along the Grand-San Juan County line some 20 miles from here. Several hours later it was determined there was at least 75 feet of rubble where the mine shaft joins a pair of drifts, one about 2,400 feet long and the other about 3,200 feet, leading toward potash deposits. There was no communication with the trapped men.

 

“The accident occurred in an area involving contract work being done by Harrison International. A spokesman for Texas Gulf reported that there was a shift change at 3:30 p.m. The men were going down into the drifts to the southwest from the bottom of the 2,712-foot-deep shaft….

 

“Early Wednesday, rescue crews were completing the job of cutting through more than 3,000 feet of signal cord and wire congested at the bottom of the shaft. Mr. Tippie[2] said there still was no communication with any of the men who were driving drifts out from the shaft….” (Salt Lake Tribune, UT (Messerly and Baldwin). “Blast Traps 25 in Utah Mine – Rescuers Face Wall of Rubble.” 8-28-1963, p. 1.)

 

Aug 30: “Moab, Utah (UPI) — Rescue workers brought five more survivors out of an explosion-wracked potash mine Thursday night and announced that no more of the men had lived through the blast. Hugh Crawford, chief engineer for Texas Gulf Sulphur Co, the mine owner, said at 8:20 p.m. that the entire mine had been searched and no one else was found alive.

 

“Rescue of the five men imprisoned 3,000 feet underground amid deadly carbon monoxide gas, brought to seven the number taken safely from the mine since it was rocked by a tremendous explosion Tuesday afternoon.  Two men were brought out unharmed Wednesday.

 

“Crawford’s announcement meant that 18 men had perished in the blast.  Crawford told newsmen

over the loudspeaker:  “For all of you on the firing line, it’s all over. There are no further survivors.”  Miners’ families, gathered around the entrance of the mine, took the news stoically on the whole although one woman standing near newsmen shouted, “That’s a hell of a brutal way to learn it!”….

 

“The latest five survivors, who had barricaded themselves behind the curtain of rubberized cloth for two days and three hours, all appeared in good shape and were able to walk out under their own power….

 

“In Washington, the Interior Department ordered a full scale investigation of the blast…” (Long Beach Independent, CA. “5 More Miners Saved in UT; 18 Lives Lost,” 8-30-1963.)

 

Aug 30: “Moab (UPI) — The Texas Gulf Sulphur Company mine blast claimed 18 lives.  Seven men survived the Tuesday explosion.

 

The Survivors:

  • Grant H. Eslick, 47, Box 939, Moab, Utah
  • Charles Byrge, 39, Box 45, Helper, Utah
  • Robert June, 36, Moab, Formerly of Kansas
  • Thomas Trueman, 37, 35 Balliol St., Toronto, Ont., Canada
  • Donald Hanna, 26, 211 S. 5th W., Price, Utah
  • Paul McKinney, 22, Box 1183, Moab, Utah
  • Charles Clark, 27, 377 S. 3rd E., Moab, Utah

The Dead:

  • Lawrence Davidson, Box 1158, Moab, Utah
  • M. H. Christensen, Jr., 210 E. Second South, Moab, Utah
  • M. H. Christensen, Sr., Route 1, Helper, Utah
  • Clell Johnson, 345 Berkley Ave., Dragerton, Utah
  • Jess Fox, Orangeville, Utah
  • Fred Rowley, Route 1, Box 105A, Helper, Utah
  • John Tinall, Box 821, Moab, Utah
  • Jess Kasler, 38, Moab, Utah
  • Lamar Rushton, 34, Moab, Utah
  • Emeille Leblanc, 75 Axsmith, Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada
  • Wesley Barber, Box 175, Moab, Utah, formerly Elliot Lake, Ontario
  • P. Sviscu, Box 884, Grants, N.M.
  • Kenneth Milton, 43, Moab, Utah
  • Robert Bobo, Shady Rest Trailer Court, Moab, Utah
  • W. Huzil, Yorkton, Sask., Canada
  • J. N. Hollinger, 153 South 45th East, Moab, Utah
  • Keith Shear, 22, Dove Creek, Colo.
  • Rene Roy, 42, 275 Terrace Lawn, Northbay, Ont., Canada

(UPI. “Names of 7 Survivors, 18 Victims.” Ogden Standard-Examiner, UT, 8-30-1963.”)

 

Sources

 

Bugbee, Percy (NFPA General Manager). “Fire Protection Developments in 1963.” Quarterly, National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 57, No. 3, January 1964, pp. 212-213.

 

Bureau of Mines, District H. Final Report of Major Mine-Explosion Disaster, Cane Creek Mine, Potash Division, Texas Gulf Sulphur Company, Grand County, Utah (Mine development under contract with Harrison International, Incorporated), August 27, 1963. Lakewood, CO: Bureau of Mines, United States Department of the Interior, no date. Accessed 2-15-2020 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/08-27-1963_Texas_Gulf_Sulphur_Cane_Creek_Mine.pdf

 

Cole, Jesse P. (MSHA District 4 Manager). “History of MSHA,” Leadership Intensive Course Mine Safety and Health Administration. No date. 48 slides. Accessed 1-11-2009 at:  http://www.usmra.com/repository/category/mining/modified_History_of_MSHA.ppt#256,1

 

Long Beach Independent, CA. “5 More Miners Saved in UT; 18 Lives Lost,” 8-30-1963, p. 1.  Accessed at:  http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=51817920

 

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

 

Salt Lake Tribune, UT (Grant Messerly and Jim G. Baldwin). “Blast Traps 25 in Utah Mine – Rescuers Face Wall of Rubble.” 8-28-1963, p. 1. Accessed at: http://newspaperarchive.com/fullpagepdfviewer?img=108858537&sterm=moab+explosion

 

United States Mine Rescue Assoc. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Texas Gulf Sulphur Company, Potash Division, Cane Creek Mine Explosion, Moab, Grand County, Utah, August 27, 1963.” Accessed 2-15-2020 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/cane_creek.htm

 

UPI (United Press International). “Names of 7 Survivors, 18 Victims.” Ogden Standard-Examiner, UT, 8-30-1963.” Accessed 2-15-2020 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/cane_creek.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Cites: Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the United States – Volume III.

[2] Frank Tippie, manager of the potash division at Moab, for Texas Gulf Sulphur Company.