Articles
The Gilberton Mine Disaster One of the worst mining accidents in the history of the P&R C&I Co. occurred on January 21, 1935 at the Gilberton Colliery on the sixth level where 69 men were trapped due to a mine explosion. The rescue work of removing the burned and unconscious from the shaft took over four hours. All extra miners from other company collieries were called to assist along with local ambulances, doctors, first aid corps. and nurses who treated the miners as they were brought out of the mine.
The Susquehanna, L. C. & N. Co., Madeira Hill and Hazelbrook Coal Companies dispatched crews from their operations. The cause of the explosion was believed caused by a shot fired, setting off a large body of gas which created after damp (carbon monoxide). The blast occurred in a rock gangway on the sixth level, 1100 feet below the surface and about 1000 ft. from the shaft. The area of the explosion covered only 200 ft. of gangway but the deadly gases generated were taken up by the air currents and moved to the fourth & fifth levels.
There were 69 men working on the 6th level, 86 on the fifth level and 69 more on
the fourth level.Men were found strewn in all parts of the sixth level, some dead and others unconscious, 10 mules were lost in the explosion. The disaster caused the death of 12 miners who were all found in the explosion area, 57 other miners were injured and taken to local hospitals.The mine elevator was pushed at full speed to bring the unconscious to thesurface. At one time 60 men were lying on the mine mouth platform receiving treatment from the doctors and first aid crews.Courage and prompt action kept down the mine explosion toll. William Gushaconas was forced to operate the engine in the compartment filled with deadly gas. He would rush in to start the engine, come back out to get clean air and then rush in again to shut down the engine. Richard Evans, age 35, termed the hero of the explosion, helped 10 men to safety before he was suffocated by the deadly fumes.