Amazing Facts

Monday, March 14, 2011

Deadliest recent U.S. mine accidents

A huge underground explosion killed 25 coal miners in Montcoal, W. Va., on Monday, in the worst U.S. mining disaster in more than two decades. Following is a list of other fatal mine disasters in the United States:

2007: Six miners, three rescuers killed in collapses at the Crandall Canyon mine in Emery County, Utah, owned by a subsidiary of Murray Energy.
2006: 12 killed in a methane explosion at the Sago Mine in West Virginia owned by International Coal Group.
2006: Five killed in an explosion at the Kentucky Darby No. 1 Mine in Harlan County, Ky.
2001: 13 killed in explosions at a Jim Walter Resources Inc. mine in Brookwood, Ala.
1992: Eight killed in an explosion at a Southmountain Coal Co. mine in Norton, Va.
1989: 10 killed in an explosion at a Pyro Mining Co. mine in Wheatcroft, Ky.
1986: Five killed when a coal pile collapses at Consolidation Coal Co.'s mine in Fairview, W.Va.
1984: 27 killed by a fire at Emery Mining Corp.'s mine in Orangeville, Utah.
1976: 26 killed by explosion at Scotia Mine, Blue Diamond Coal Co., Oven Fork, Ky.
1972: 91 killed by smoke inhalation and/or carbon monoxide poisoning at Sunshine Mine fire in Kellogg, Idaho.
1970: 38 killed by explosion at Finley Coal Co., Hyden, Ky.
The nation's single deadliest mining disaster was in 1907, when 362 were killed in an explosion near Monongah, W.Va.