WV Mine Disasters 1884 to Present - WV Office of Miners' Health Safety and Training

DATE	COMPANY	MINE	LOCATION	NATURE OF ACCIDENT	NUMBER OF VICTIMS
JAN. 21, 1886	ORREL COAL COMPANY	MT. BROOK	NEWBURG	EXPLOSION	39
NOV. 20, 1894	BLANCH COAL CO.	BLANCH	STANDARD	EXPLOSION	8
MAR. 06, 1900	RED ASH COAL COMPANY	RED ASH	RED ASH	EXPLOSION	46
NOV. 02, 1900	SO. COAL & TRANSPORTATION CO.	BERRYBURG	BERRYBURG	POWDER EXPL	15
MAY 15, 1901	GEORGE’S CREEK COAL & IRON CO.	CHATHAM	FARMINGTON	EXPLOSION	10
SEP. 15, 1902	ALGOMA COAL AND COKE	ALGOMA NO. 7	ALGOMA	EXPLOSION	17
SEP. 22, 1902	NEW CENTRAL COAL CO.	STAFFORD	STAFFORD	EXPLOSION	6
FEB. 26, 1905	GRAPEVINE COAL CO.	GRAPEVINE	WILCOE	EXPLOSION	7
MAR. 19, 1905	NEW RIVER SMOKELESS COAL CO.	RUSHRUN/REDASH	RED ASH	EXPLOSION	24
APR. 20, 1905	CABIN CREEK MINING CO.	CABIN CREEK	KAYFORD	POWDER EXPL	6
JUL. 05, 1905	TIDEWATER COAL & COKE CO.	TIDEWATER	VIVIAN	EXPLOSION	5
NOV. 04, 1905	TIDEWATER COAL & COKE CO.	TIDEWATER	VIVIAN	EXPLOSION	7
DEC. 04, 1905	CARDIFF COAL CO.	HORTON	CABIN CREEK	MINE FIRE	7
JAN. 04, 1906	COALDALE COAL & COKE CO.	COALDALE	COALDALE	EXPLOSION	22
JAN. 18, 1906	DETROIT & KANAWHA COAL CO.	DETROIT	PAINT CREEK	EXPLOSION	18
FEB. 08, 1906	STUART COLLIERY CO.	PARRAL	PARRAL	EXPLOSION	23
MAR. 22, 1906	CENTURY COAL CO.	CENTURY	CENTURY	EXPLOSION	23
DEC. 14, 1906	PULASKI IRON CO.	PULASKI	ECKMAN	POWDER EXPL	6*
JAN. 26, 1907	LORENTZ	LORENTZ	PENCO	POWDER EXPL	12
JAN. 29, 1907	STUART COLLIERY CO.	STUART	STUART	EXPLOSION	85
FEB. 04, 1907	DAVIS COAL & COKE CO.	THOMAS	THOMAS	EXPLOSION	25
MAY 01, 1907	WHITE OAK FUEL CO.	WHIPPLE	SCARBRO	EXPLOSION	46
DEC. 06, 1907	FAIRMONT COAL CO.	MONONGAH 6 & 8	MONONGAH	EXPLOSION	361
JAN. 30, 1908	NEW RIVER VALLEY COAL CO.	BACKMAN	HAWKS NEST	EXPLOSION	9
DEC. 29, 1908	POCAHONTAS COLLERIES CO.	LICK BRANCH	SWITCHBACK	EXPLOSION	50
JAN. 12, 1909	POCAHONTAS COLLERIES CO.	LICK BRANCH	SWITCHBACK	EXPLOSION	67
MAR. 31, 1909	BEURY BROTHERS COAL CO.	ECHO	BEURY	DYNAMITE EXPL	16
DEC. 31, 1910	RED JACKET CONS. COAL & COKE CO.	LICK FORK	THACKER	HAULAGE	10
APR. 24, 1911	DAVIS COAL & COKE CO.	OTT NO. 20	ELK GARDEN	EXPLOSION	23
AUG. 01, 1911	STANDARD POCAHONTAS FUEL CO.	STANDARD	CAPLES	EXPLOSION	6
NOV. 18, 1911	BOTTOM CREEK COAL & COKE CO.	BOTTOM CREEK	VIVIAN	EXPLOSION	18
MAR. 26, 1912	JED COAL AND COKE CO.	JED	JED	EXPLOSION	80
JULY 11, 1912	BEN FRANKLIN COAL CO.	PANAMA	MOUNDSVILLE	EXPLOSION	8
APR. 28, 1914	NEW RIVER COLLIERIES CO., THE	ECCLES NO. 5 & 6	ECCLES	EXPLOSION	183
JUNE 30, 1914	SYCAMORE COAL CO.	CINDERELLA	CINDERELLA	SUFFOCATION	5
FEB. 6, 1915	NEW RIVER CO.	CARLISLE	CARLISLE	EXPLOSION	22
MAR. 2, 1915	NEW RIVER & POCAHONTAS CONSOL. CO.	LAYLAND NO. 3	LAYLAND	EXPLOSION	112
MAR. 30, 1915	HANNA COAL CO.	BOOMER NO. 2	BOOMER	EXPLOSION	23
MAR. 28, 1916	KING COAL CO.	KING NO. 28	VIVIAN	EXPLOSION	10
OCT. 19, 1916	JAMISON COAL AND COKE CO.	JAMISON NO. 7	BARRACKVILLE	EXPLOSION	10
APR. 18, 1917	HUTCHINSON COAL CO.	LYNDEN	MASON	EXPLOSION	5
DEC. 15, 1917	YUKON POCAHONTAS COAL CO.	YUKON NO. 1	SUSANNA	EXPLOSION	18
MAY 20, 1918	MILL CREEK CANNEL MINING CO.	VILLA	CHARLESTON	MINE FIRE	13
JULY 18, 1919	HOUSTON COLLIERIES CO.	CARSWELL	KIMBALL	EXPLOSION	7
AUG. 6, 1919	NEW RIVER AND POCAHONTAS CONSOLIDATED	WEIRWOOD	WEIRWOOD	EXPLOSION	7
MAY 22, 1920	MALLORY COAL CO.	MALLORY NO. 3	MALLORY	ROOF FALL	5
SEPT.23, 1922	RALEIGH-WYOMING COAL CO.	GLEN ROGERS #2	GLENROGERS	FALLING CAGE	5
MAR. 2, 1923	WEYANOKE COAL & COKE CO.	ARISTA	ARISTA	EXPLOSION	10
NOV. 06, 1923	RALEIGH-WYOMING COAL CO.	GLEN ROGERS	BECKLEY	EXPLOSION	27
MAR. 28, 1924	YUKON POCAHONTAS COAL CO.	YUKON NO. 2	YUKON	EXPLOSION	24
APR. 28, 1924	WHEELING STEEL CORP.	BENWOOD	BENWOOD	EXPLOSION	119
MAR. 17, 1925	BETHLEHEM MINES CORP.	BARRACKSVILLE	BARRACKSVILLE	EXPLOSION	33
JAN. 14, 1926	JAMISON COAL & COKE CO.	JAMISON NO. 8	FARMINGTON	EXPLOSION	19
MAR. 8, 1926	CRAB ORCHARD IMPROVEMENT CO.	ECCLES NO. 5	ECCLES	EXPLOSION	19
NOV. 15, 1926	GLENDALE GAS COAL CO.	MOUND SHAFT	MOUNDSVILLE	EXPLOSION	5
APR. 30, 1927	NEW ENGLAND FUEL & TRANS. CO.	FEDERAL NO. 3	EVERTTVILLE	EXPLOSION	97
MAY 13, 1927	CENTRAL POCAHONTAS COAL CO.	SHANNON BR. 3	CAPELS	EXPLOSION	8
APR. 2, 1928	KEYSTONE COAL AND COKE CO.	KEYSTONE NO. 2	KEYSTONE	EXPLOSION	8
MAY 22, 1928	YUKON POCAHONTAS COAL CO.	YUKON NO. 1	YUKON	EXPLOSION	17
JUNE 20, 1928	NATIONAL FUEL CO.	NO. 1	NATIONAL	EXPLOSION	7
OCT. 22, 1928	MACALPIN COAL CO.	MCALPIN	MCALPIN	EXPLOSION	6
NOV. 30, 1928	PRINCESS POCAHONTAS COAL CORP.	PRINCESS POCAHONTAS	RODERFIELD	EXPLOSION	6
JAN. 26, 1929	KINGSTON POCAHONTAS COAL CO. INC.	KINGSTON NO. 5	KINGSTON	EXPLOSION	14
JAN. 19, 1930	LILLYBROOK COAL CO.	NO. 1	LILLYBROOK	EXPLOSION	8
MAR. 26, 1930	CROWN COAL CO.	YUKON	ARNETTSVILLE	EXPLOSION	12
JAN. 6, 1931	RALEIGH-WYOMING COAL CO.	GLEN ROGERS #2	GLEN ROGERS	EXPLOSION	8
NOV. 3, 1931	ISLAND CREEK COAL CO.	NO. 20	WHITMAN	EXPLOSION	5
MAY 12, 1935	BETHLEHEM MINES CORP.	NO. 41	BARRACKVILLE	FIRE IN SHAFT	6
SEPT. 2, 1936	HUTCHINSON COAL CO.	MACBETH	MACBETH	EXPLOSION	10
MAR. 11, 1937	HUTCHINSON COAL CO.	MACBETH	MACBETH	EXPLOSION	18
JAN. 10. 1940	POND CREEK POCAHONTAS COAL CO.	NO. 1	BARTLEY	EXPLOSION	91
DEC. 17, 1940	RALEIGH COAL & COKE CO.	NO. 4	RALEIGH	EXPLOSION	9
JAN. 22, 1941	KOPPERS COAL CO.	CARSWELL	CARSWELL	EXPLOSION	6
MAY 12, 1942	CHRISTOPHER COAL CO.	CHRISTOPHER #3	OSAGE	EXPLOSION	56
MAY 18, 1942	HITCHMAN COAL & COKE CO.	HITCHMAN	BENWOOD	EXPLOSION	5
JULY 9, 1942	PURSGLOVE COAL MINING CO.	PURSGLOVE NO. 2	PURSGLOVE	EXPLOSION	20
DEC. 15, 1942	WYATT COAL CO.	LAING NO. 1	LAING	RUN AWAY TRIP	5
JAN. 8, 1943	PURSGLOVE COAL MINING CO.	PURSGLOVE NO. 15	PURSGLOVE	MINE FIRE	13
NOV. 8, 1943	AMERICAN ROLLING MILL CO.	NELLIS NO. 3	NELLIS	EXPLOSION	11
MAR. 25, 1944	KATHRINE COAL MINING CO.	KATHRINE NO. 4	LUMBERPORT	EXPLOSION	16
JAN. 15, 1946	NEW RIVER AND POCAHONTAS CONSOLIDATED COAL CO.	HAVACO NO. 9	HAVACO	EXPLOSION	15
AUG. 6, 1948	NEW RIVER AND POCAHONTAS CONSOLIDATED COAL CO.	BERWIND NO. 11	CAPELS	ROOF FALL	6
JAN. 18, 1951	BURNING SPRINGS COLLIERIES CO.	BURNING SPRINGS	KERMIT	GAS EXPLOSION	11
OCT. 15, 1951	TROTTER COAL CO.	BUNKER	CASSVILLE	GAS EXPLOSION	10
OCT. 31, 1951	TRUAX-TRAER COAL CO.	UNITED NO. 1	WEVACO	DUST EXPLOSION	12
NOV. 13, 1954	JAMISON COAL AND COKE CO.	NO. 9	FARMINGTON	EXPLOSION	16
FEB. 4, 1957	POCAHONTAS FUEL CO.	NO. 35	BISHOP	GAS EXPLOSION	37
DEC. 9, 1957	RALEIGH-WYOMING COAL CO.	GLEN ROGERS NO.2	GLEN ROGERS	MOUNTAIN BUMP	5
DEC. 27, 1957	POCAHONTAS FUEL CO.	NO. 31	AMONATE	EAS EXPLOSION	11
FEB. 12, 1958	AMHERST COAL CO.	LUNDALE	LUNDALE	ROOF FALL	6
OCT. 27, 1958	POCAHONTAS FUEL CO	NO. 35	BISHOP	GAS EXPLOSION	22
OCT. 28, 1958	OGLEBAY NORTON COAL CO.	BURTON	CRAIGSVILLE	GAS EXPLOSION	14
MAR, 8, 1960	ISLAND CREEK COAL CO.	NO. 22	HOLDEN	MINE FIRE	18
NOV. 9, 1962	ISLAND CREEK COAL CO.	NO. 28	VERDUNVILLE	HAULAGE	3
APR. 25, 1963	CLINCHFIELD COAL CO.	COMPASS NO. 2	DOLA	GAS EXPLOSION	22
SEPT.28, 1964	ISLAND CREEK COAL CO.	NO. 6	BARTLEY	GAS EXPLOSION	3
APR. 30, 1965	MOUNTAINEER COAL CO. (Division of Consolidation Coal Co.)	CONSOL NO. 9	FARMINGTON	GAS EXPLOSION	4
MAY, 3, 1965	DOROTHY COAL CO.	NO. 1	GARRISON	ROOF FALL	3
OCT. 16, 1965	CLINCHFIELD COAL CO.	MARS NO. 2	SARDIS	MINE FIRE	7
JUL. 23, 1966	THE NEW RIVER CO.	SILTIX	MOUNT HOPE	GAS EXPLOSION	7
SEP. 10, 1966	THE VALLEY CAMP COAL	NO. 3	TRIDELPHIA	HAULAGE	4
MAY 06, 1968	GAULEY COAL & COKE CO.	NO. 8	HOMINY FALLS	MINE INUNDATION	4
AUG. 14, 1968	AMHERST COAL CO.	LUNDALE NO. 1	LOGAN	ROOF FALL	3
NOV. 20, 1968	MOUNTAINEER COAL CO. (Division of Consolidation Coals Co.)	NO. 9	FARMINGTON	EXPLOSION	78
DEC. 12, 1968	BUFFALO MINING CO.	NO. 8B	LYBURN	MINE FIRE	3
JUN. 11, 1971	EASTERN ASSOCIATED COAL CORP.	FEDERAL NO. 2	FAIRVIEW	ROOF FALL	3
JUL. 22, 1972	CONSOLIDATION COAL CO.	BLACKSVILLE	BLACKSVILE	MINE FIRE	9
DEC. 16, 1972	ITMANN COAL CO.	ITMANN NO. 3	ITMANN	GAS EXPLOSION	5
OCT. 02, 1974	COWIN & CO. (CONTRACTORS)	MAPLE MEADOW MINE	FAIRDALE	FALLING MATERIAL	3
OCT. 07, 1974	MONTY BROS. CONST. CO. (CONTRACTOR)	BOLT SEWELL	BOLT	FALL IN SHAFT	3
JUN. 05, 1975	EASTERN ASSOC. COAL CORP.	HARRIS NO. 2	BALD KNOB	RIB FALL	3
NOV. 26, 1975	BETHLEHEM MINES CORP.	NO. 105	CENTURY	ROOF FALL	3
NOV. 07, 1980	WESTMORELAND COAL CO.	FERRELL	UNEEDA	GAS EXPLOSION	5
DEC. 03, 1981	ELK RIVER SEWELL COAL CO.	STILL HOUSE NO. 1	BERGOO	ROOF FALL	3
FEB. 06, 1986	CONSOLIDATION COAL CO.	LOVERIDGE NO. 22	FAIRVIEW	COAL STORAGE ENTRAPMENT	5
MAR. 19, 1992	CONSOLIDATION COAL CO.	BLACKSVILLE NO. 1	WANA	EXPLOSION IN SHAFT	4
JAN. 22, 2003	CENTRAL CAMBRIA DRILLING CO. (CONTRACTOR )	MCELROY MINE	GRAYSVILLE	EXPLOSION IN SHAFT	3
JAN. 2, 2006	ANKER WV MINING CO., INC.	SAGO MINE	TALLMANSVILLE	EXPLOSION AND ENTRAP.	12
APR. 5, 2010	PERFORMANCE COAL CO.	UBBMC MONTCOAL EAGLE	NAOMA	EXPLOSION	29

Note: From 1884 to 1961, accidents fatally injuring five or more employees were classed as disasters. From 1961 to date, accidents fatally injuring three or more employees are classed as disasters.

*December 14, 1906 – This explosion killed 4 employees and 2 individuals on the surface near the mine.

Last revised: 03/28/16 02:05 PM