Worst Mining Accidents Since 1900
Date | May 15, 2014:
Tuesday’s mining accident in Turkey has devastated the international community with more than 250 workers dead. There is a long and tragic history of mining tragedies around the globe. Some have been a result of mismanagement; others, simply horrible coincidences.
Here is a round-up of mining accidents that have killed more than 100 people since 1866, following the disaster in Soma.
December 12, 1866: United Kingdom- In 1866, 388 people were killed in Oaks Colliery explosion near Barnsley in Yorkshire, the second deadliest coal mining disaster in the United Kingdom after the disaster at Senghenydd Colliery.
March 10, 1906: Courrières, France- The “Courrières Catastrophe” still ranks as Europe’s most deadly mining accident. On March 10, 1906, 1,099 people perished in the mine in Northern France. Days before the explosion, smoke and toxic gas were detected, and a union delegate warned the Courrières Mining Company to rectify these issue. However, the company refused to halt production and lose profits. That greed proved lethal in more ways than one. After a leak of flammable gas caused an explosion that spread rapidly through the mine, the company performed only the most minimal rescue efforts. Only three days after the accident, the company placed a wall over the area in which miners were trapped in order to preserve remaining coal sources from the fire. By their own grit, 13 miners managed to emerge alive 20 days after the fire on March 30, suggesting many others could have been rescued.
December 6, 1907: Monongah, West Virginia- Considered the worst mining disaster in American history, a pair of mine explosions in Monongah, West Virginia left at least 362 men and boys dead—later accounts estimate the death toll could be above 500. On December 6, 1907, explosions at mines No. 6 and No. 8 caused quakes that could be felt as far as eight miles away. Most of the victims were immigrants from Italy, Poland, Turkey, and other European counties who worked at the Fairmont Coal Company. 250 women were left widowed and more than 1,000 children orphaned. Rescue workers also suffered after being exposed to the toxic gases following the explosions.
October 14, 1913: Senghenydd, Wales- 439 people perished in the United Kingdom’s worst mining disaster. On October 14, 1913, at approximately 8:10 a.m., an explosion caused by a buildup of methane gas ripped through the west side of the mine. Those not killed by the blast were trapped under a wall of fire. Though local men, women, and children devoted themselves to rescue efforts for days, only 18 workers emerged alive from that section. The Universal Colliery was found to have violated a number of government safety regulations, all the more disturbing considering more than 80 workers had died at the mine in a separate accident in 1901.
December 15, 1914: Japan- In 1914, a gas explosion at the Mitsubishi Hojyo coal mine in Japan killed 687 people, the deadliest mine accident in Japan’s history.
April 26, 1942: Benxihu, China- To date, the Benxihu (Honkeiko) colliery was the site of the most lethal mining accidents on record. Located in the Benxi, Liaoning region of China, 1,549 miners were killed after gas exploded in one of the shafts during the heart of World War II on April 26, 1942. The mine was originally under joint Japanese-Chinese control, but after the Japanese invaded Liaoning in the 1930s, it came solely under their control. The Japanese forced Chinese laborers to work in the mines, which was in horrible condition before the accident. Cholera and typhoid were rampant and overseers used pick handles to physically force miners into the shafts. It took ten days for the Japanese to clear the corpses from the mine, yet they refused to let Chinese relatives visit the area, building an electrical fence to keep them away. Honkeiko continued to operate until Japan surrendered in 1945.
January 21, 1960: South Africa- In 1960, 435 miners were killed in South Africa’s Coalbrook mine disaster, the country’s worst disaster in its mining history.
May 9, 1960: China- In 1960, 684 miners were killed in the Laobaidong coal mine in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi.
November 9, 1963: Japan- In 1963, a coal mine explosion at the Mitsui Miike coal mine in Japan killed 458 miners, while 833 others were injured. It was the second deadliest coal mining disaster in Japan.
May 28, 1965: India- In 1965, Dhanbad coal mine disaster in Jharkhand, India killed 375 miners
June 6, 1972: Wankie, Rhodesia- On June 6, 1972 a methane gas explosion in the Wankie Colliery in northwestern Rhodesia (modern-day Zimbabwe) proved to be one of the most fatal in African history. Workers came from all over Africa, including Malawi, Mozambique, and Namibia. Hundreds were killed instantly by the blast, but others were trapped alive and suffocated. After four days of rescue efforts, mine officials decided to seal off the colliery and end the search for lives and bodies. In total, there were 427 casualties.
August 25, 1990: Bosnia - A gas explosion in Dobrnja-Kreka kills 180 workers.
April 21, 1991: China - A gas explosion in Shaanxi kills 147 people.
March 4, 1992: Turkey - A mine explosion kills 263 people near Zonguldak, in northern Turkey.
August 29, 1994: Philippines - A coal mine explosion kills 119 near the southern city of Malangas.
November 27, 1996: China - At least 144 are killed by an explosion near the northern city of Datong.
July 19, 1997: Tanzania - More than 100 miners are buried alive when the roof of a gold mine collapses in the north-western Kagera region.
March 5, 2000: Sierra Leone - Around 150 diamond miners are killed by a cave-in in the eastern Kono region.
September 28, 2000: China - The Muzhonggou coal mine in southern Guizhou province is hit by massive gas explosion, killing 162 workers.
June 20, 2002: China - 124 people die as the result of an explosion in a coal mine in Heilongjiang.
October 20, 2004: China - An explosion leaves 148 dead in a coal mine in the Henan province.
November 28, 2004: China - A gas explosion at a coal mine in Shaanxi kills 166.
February 14, 2005: China - A total of 213 miners perish after an explosion in a mine in the north-eastern Liaoning province.
August 7, 2005: China - A mine in the southern province of Guangdong is flooded, killing 123.
November 27, 2005: China - A total of 171 miners are killed in an explosion in a mine in Heilongjiang.
December 7, 2005: China - A coal mine in Liuguantun, in the northern province of Hebei is the site of another explosion that leaves 118 dead or missing.
March 19, 2007: Russia - 108 people die in a mine explosion in the Siberian region of Kemerovo.
August 17, 2007: China - A coal mine is flooded in the eastern province of Shandong, near the city of Xintai. A total of 181 miners are killed.
November 18, 2007: Ukraine - An explosion in a coal mine near Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, kills 101 people, that country’s worst such disaster.
December 6, 2007: China - An explosion kills 105 in a mine in the northern Shaanxi province.
November 21, 2009: China - An explosion in a coal mine in the north-eastern province of Heilongjiang kills 108 workers.
April 29, 2013: Sudan - 109 die, including nine rescue workers, when an illegal gold mine collapses in Jebel Amir, in the western Darfur region.
Sources: i. http://www.thedailybeast.com/
ii. http://gulfnews.com/
iii. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/