The Washington Penna, Daily Reporter
Wednesday, October 11, 1905
VICTIMS OF THE
FATAL FIRE DAMP
Two Miners Suffocated in the
Hazelkirk Mine Tuesday
Afternoon
MONONGAHELA, Oct. 11,—The fire in the Hazelkirk mine, caused by an
explosion Tuesday afternoon, was gotten under control about 3 o’clock this
morning and it is believed that the flames will finally be extinguished
today. A mine foreman stated this morning that the mine appears to be in good
shape, and that they may be able to resume operations tomorrow. With stubborn
fighting against smoke, etc., the entries where the flames were confined were
barricaded about 3 o’clock this morning.
MONGAHELA, Oct 11,—About 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, an explosion occurred in the
Hazelkirk mine No. 2, near this place and resulted fatally to two men who
were in the mine at the time of the explosion. The mine was set on fire.
THE DEAD ARE:
JOHN KASCO, machine worker, Hazelkirk, married and leaves wife and one child.
JOSEPH KASCO, machine worker, Hazelkirk, unmarried.
The explosion is supposed to have been caused by gas igniting from
a shot that was fired in one of the rooms in the heading of the No. 1 entry.
The two men, that were killed were brothers and were working together in
a room on a machine in cutting down coal when the explosion occurred. The
boss driver notified the men of the danger they were in and told them to leave
the mine immediately by the airshaft. Both men were well acquainted
with the courses in the mine and thought by going to the fan shaft which
is much nearer than the other they could escape more quickly, and in order
to cross the shaft of the return air or the fire damp.
Both men made a dash to get through the shafe, but before getting very
far they were overcome by the foul air and fell to the floor of the mine in
an unconscious condition. Mine Foreman Benjamin Griffith, learning
that the mine was on fire at once went into the mine to learn the condition
of affairs and to remove the men from the room where they had fallen when
overcome by gas. Both men were removed to the surface but one of the men was
dead when found and the other died before reaching the surface. All the
other men, who were in the mine at the time of the explosion, escaped without
injury. Fortunately only a few men were at work in the mines yesterday.
At 6 o’clock last evening Henry Loutitt, mine inspector, arrived, to
formulate plans to extinguish the flames. A number of other experienced
men who are well acquainted with the workings of the mines also arrived and
a conference was held late last evening to decide on what course to take in
order to save the mines. Among those here are, Joseph Kennedy, John Coulter,
John McVicker and others.
After a conference with these men Mr. Louttit was asked as to his theory
of the explosion, and said:
“In all probability there has been a fall of slate in THREE PARAGRAPHS
MISSING HERE—GET IT!!!!
