December 6, 1907: The Fairmont Coal Company's Number 6 and Number 8 mines explode, in Monongah, West Virginia, 25 miles southwest of Morgantown, and about 100 miles south of Pittsburgh. The disaster claimed 362 lives, making it the worst mining accident in American history.
Of the miners who died, 171 were Italian immigrants. There were 4 Italians who managed to escape alive, and 1 Polish miner was successfully rescued. But for most of those who died, it was instantaneous. The rescue attempts were dangerous due to gas buildup, and would have been pointless even if perfectly safe.
Beyond the men who died, 216 women were widowed, and the miners left behind 475 children, with a further 31 born after the disaster.
The public began demanding additional oversight to help regulate the mines. In 1910, Congress created the United States Bureau of Mines, under the control of the U.S. Department of the Interior, with the goal of investigating and inspecting mines, to reduce explosions and to limit the waste of human and natural resources. In addition, the Bureau of Mines set up field officers that would train mine crews, provide rescue services, and investigate disasters.
Housing has been built on the site.
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December 6, 1907 was a Friday. Baseball was out of season. Football season had just ended. Professional basketball and hockey barely existed. So there were no scores on this historic day.
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