1922 — March 24, Sopris No. 2 Coal Mine Gas Explosion, Sopris, Colorado                 —     17

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-21-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–17  Cole. “Western Coal Mining Disasters 1800-2000 (cont.).” History of MSHA, slide 40.

–17  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC. Mining Disasters.

–17  US Bureau of Mines. Report on Explosion at Sopris #2 Mine, Sopris, Colorado, March 24, 1922.

–17  United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. Sopris 1922.

Narrative Information

 United States Bureau of Mines: “General Statement

“At about 3:40 P.M. March 24, 1922, there occurred an explosion in the Sopris #2 Mine of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, near Trinidad, Colorado, and 17 lives were lost. The day shift of about 125 miners and 50 day men were supposed to come off at 3:30 P.M., and all but eight of the day shift had reached the surface, some of them only a fraction of a minute before the accident, one or two men being slightly injured near the manway portal, and four bodies were found near the air shaft only a few hundred feet from the mouth of the mine. By using the system of checking men into and out of the mine, it was soon established that 18 men were missing, one of these appearing later on as he had failed to go into the mine after having taken his check…. [p. 1.]

 

United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. Sopris 1922:

“The Deceased:

  • Adamo, Pete, 33
  • Ameteis, Francesco, 23
  • Bertetto, Antonio, 22
  • Bonato, Guiseppe, 64
  • Caudillo, Miguel, 28
  • Covi, Max, 44
  • Del Dosso, Pete, 24
  • Maglia, Felix, 24
  • Marlo, Joe, 33
  • Musial, Pete, 36
  • Peashka, Rudolph, 36
  • Romero, Charles, 45
  • Romero, Robert E, 18
  • Savio, Pete L, 25
  • Serrano, Odilan, 47
  • Valenchich, Frank, 32
  • Valenchich, Matt, 28”             [Source: Colorado Mine Fatalities.]

Sources

 

Cole, Jesse P. (MSHA District 4 Manager). “History of MSHA,” Leadership Intensive Course Mine Safety and Health Administration. No date. 48 slides. Accessed 1-11-2009 at:  http://www.usmra.com/repository/category/mining/modified_History_of_MSHA.ppt#256,1

 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Safety and Health Research..  Mining Disasters (Incidents with 5 or more Fatalities). NIOSH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2-26-2013 update. Accessed at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/disall.htm

and http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/statistics/content/allminingdisasters.html

 

United States Bureau of Mines (D. Harrington). Report on Explosion at Sopris #2 Mine, Sopris, Colorado, March 24, 1922. Accessed 4-21-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/sopris_1922.pdf

 

United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, Sopris Mine Explosion, Sopris, Las Animas County, Colorado, March 24, 1922, No. Killed – 17.” Accessed 4-21-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/sopris_news_only.htm