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Birmingham, Alabama... Overton Mine explosion disaster...
Birmingham, Alabama... Overton Mine explosion disaster...
Item # 723750
December 11, 1925
THE NEW YORK TIMES, December 11, 1925
* Overton Mine No. 2 explosion disaster
* St. Clair County, Alabama coal mining
The front page has a one column heading: "61 LOSE LIVES IN ALABAMA NIBE BLAST" with subheads. (see images)
Complete with 30 pages, light toning and a little wear at the margins, generally nice.
AI notes: The Overton Mine No. 2 explosion occurred on December 10, 1925, at the Alabama Fuel and Iron Company’s coal mine in Saint Clair County, Alabama, killing 53 miners and 10 mules. The disaster struck shortly after the morning shift began, when accumulated methane gas ignited, and the force of the explosion was amplified by coal dust throughout the tunnels. Rescue efforts were hampered by toxic fumes and debris, and many miners were trapped or fatally injured underground. The blast devastated the local mining community, highlighting the persistent dangers of gas and dust in coal mines and the inadequacy of safety measures at the time. Contemporary investigations noted that while gas had been detected earlier, ventilation and dust-control practices were insufficient to prevent the catastrophe, underscoring the urgent need for stronger mine safety regulations in the 1920s.
Category: The 20th Century
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