What was the cause of the explosion in the West Frankfort coal mine?

What was the cause of the explosion in the West Frankfort coal mine?

Illinois Mines Director Walter Eadie said, “The explosion at the mine was definitely caused by methane gas.” Federal inspectors had previously criticized some of the means employed by the company to control methane, but the company had ignored those federal recommendations.

What was the worst mine disaster in the United States?

Monongah mining disaster
The Monongah mining disaster of Monongah, West Virginia occurred on December 6, 1907, and has been described as “the worst mining disaster in American history”.

How many men were killed in the West Frankfort mine disaster?

119 men
WEST FRANKFORT (WSIL) — Seventy years ago on December 21, 1951, 119 men were killed when an explosion ripped through Orient #2 mine in West Frankfort.

What was the worst mine disaster?

Benxihu Colliery Disaster (1942) – China The Benxihu colliery disaster occured on 26 April 1942 in the Honkeiko coal mine, located near Benxi in the Liaoning province of China. It led to the deaths of 1,549 lives and is believed to be the worst coal mining disaster ever.

Where was the largest coal mining accident to take place in West Virginia?

The Monongah Mine Disaster is widely considered to be the worst mine disaster in American history. On December 6, 1907, mines 6 and 8 of the Monongah Mine in West Virginia suffered a devastating explosion. The explosion destroyed much of the mine as well as the surface.

Is Mine 9 based on a true story?

Inspired by true events, the movie is about a crew of nine men working in an underground mine in Appalachia when things go wrong. “It’s not based on any one event, but based on several that have happened over time,” said Kevin Sizemore, a Princeton, West Virginia native who stars in the movie.

Do coal miners still get black lung?

Today, not only do coal miners still suffer from this lethal but preventable lung disease, they do so at younger ages, some even in their thirties, and they are contracting the most advanced form of black lung at the highest rates ever recorded.