O'Brien Coal Mine

 

Federal Bureau Places Blame For Disaster says dust ignited by black powder at Lovilia mine

Monroe County News April 20, 1953

 

Ignition of a cloud of coal dust by blown out shots of black blasting powder, fired in blast holes drilled in solid coal, caused the explosion that cost five lives in the O'Brien mine of the O'brien Coal Co. near Lovilia on March 30, according to the report of a "Bureau of Mines" investigation of the disaster released Saturday by J.J. Forbes, bureau Director, Department of the Interior. Coal dust propogated the explosion through a considerable area, the report said.

At the time of the explosion, which occurred about 4p.m., two shot firers,one of them the mine foreman, were the only men in the mine, and both were killed. The three other victims, two of them foreman's from neighboring mines, were members of a party of five who entered the mine about 9 p.m., the same day, reportedly to investigate the explosion. They died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Statements by one of the survivors made it clear that none of the party knew that a flame safety lamp cannot detect dangerous concentrations of carbon monoxide.

"The needless death of those three men", Director Forbes said, "points out the danger of entering a mine after an explosion before a proper rescue and recovery organization has been set up and without proper protective equipment. A flame safety lamp, as experienced mining men know, is used to detect methane, an explosive gas, and to indicate oxygen deficiency, but it must not be used to detect carbon monoxide. We used to have alot of cases in the old days when many lives were sacrificed during rescue and recovery operations after mine explosions. personally I have not encountered a case like that at Lovilia for about 25 years. It shows how extremely important it is for mining men to learn accident-prevention and mine-rescue procedures, and I hope that this tragic occurrence will lead more of them to take advantage of the training along those lines that the bureau offers."

The factors causing this disaster were recognized by a federal coal mine inspector during his regular inspection of the mine in October of 1952, Forbes continued. At that time he issued notices requiring that the use of black blasting powder discontinued and that the mine be properly rock dusted in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act. However, before further steps could be taken to ensure these requirements, the company secured an injection prohibiting the federal inspector from taking such action.

Ironically, the case was dismissed 3 days before the explosion. Notice of this action, received at the Duluth office of the Bureau of Mines, at 2 p.m., on March 31--the day after the explosion-- gave the bureau its first official, written knowledge that the injunction was no longer in force.

"However", says the report of the Bureau's investigation, "About noon on March 31, 1953, the Chief Counsel, bureau of Mines, Washington D.C., called the assistant United States Attorney in Iowa about the Bureau's right, in view of the injunction, to have federal inspectors enter the O'Brien mine to investigate the disaster. During the conversations, the Chief Counsel of the Bureau of Mines, was advised that the injunction had been dissolved on March 27, 1953."

The report of the Bureau's investigation of the disaster was prepared by Roy Capps, W.B. Dalrymple, E.W. Felegy, James A. O'Connor, R.O. Pynnonen, and H.F. Weaver.

To prevent a reoccurrence of such disasters, the Bureau's investigators recommended that:
1. The mine should be rock-dusted to within 40 feet of all faces, with the incombustible content of the combined coal dust, rock dust and other dust being at least 63%.
2. Black blasting powder in any forum should not be used under ground, but blasting should be done with permissible explosives or permissible blasting devices used in a permissible manner.
3. Shooting "off the solid" should be discontinued and solid coal cut as to provide at least two free faces before blasting.
4. The use of open-flame lights in the mine should be discontinued, only permissible electric lamps should be used for portable illumination underground.
5. Mine officials and employees in the area should be trained in accident-prevention and mine rescue and recovery operations, and a central mine-rescue station maintained to serve the area.

The Bureau's report acknowledges the valuable assistance in recovery operations by members of the Iowa Highway Patrol, the Albia Fire Department, the Monroe County Coroner and Sheriff, and mining company employees. It also notes the cooperation in conduct of the investigation received from the Iowa State Department of mine inspectors, the mining company, and particularly X Lennie, minner at the O'Brien mine.