1981 — April 15, Dutch Creek No. 1 methane/coal dust mine explosion, ~Redstone, CO– 15

— 15  Cole, Jesse P.  History of MSHA, slide 40.

— 15  Jones. “1981 Multiple-Death Fires in the U. S.,” Fire Journal, V.76, N.4, July 1982, 68.

— 15  Mine Safety and Health Administration. Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the U.S.

— 15. MSHA. Report of Investigation. Underground Coal Mine Explosion, Dutch Creek No. 1…

— 15  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, CDC. Mining Disasters.

— 15  USMRA. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Mid-Continent Resources, Inc…”

 

Narrative Information

 

MSHA: “MSHA investigators concluded that the explosion originated in the face area of the No. 1 entry in the 102 Section, when a methane-air mixture within an explosion-proof compartment on a continuous mining machine was ignited by an electric arc. The compartment, containing electrical components of the mining machine, had not been maintained in a permissible condition. Flame and major forces of the explosion propagated from the face area of the 102 Section, and split in the main slope entries at the mouth of the 102 Section. Flame and forces traveled inby in the Nos. 7, 6 and 5 entries of the slopes to the Slope Section, and then moved outby in the slope entries. The flame extended as far as the No. 56 crosscut, and the major forces traveled further outby to the No. 48 crosscut. (MSHA. Report of Investigation. Underground Coal Mine Explosion, Dutch Creek No. 1… Redstone, Pitkin County, Colorado, April 15, 1981, p. 1.)

 

USMRA: “At approximately 4:08 p.m., April 15, 1981, a methane and coal dust explosion occurred in the 102 longwall development section of Dutch Creek No. 1 Mine located near Redstone, Colorado.

 

“Fifteen miners died as a result.  Nine of the victims were working in the 102 section and six were working in the Slope section.  Six miners working in other areas of the mine at the time of the explosion survived.  Three were injured and were rescued; the other three were not injured and escaped unassisted to the surface.

 

“MSHA[1] investigators concluded that an outburst occurred at the face of the No. 1 entry on the 102 section that released large amounts of methane and coal dust.  This was caused by extensive stresses exerted on the coal-bed and face by the massive overburden and other geological conditions in the mine.  The outburst created an explosive atmosphere.

 

“The explosion occurred when this atmosphere accumulated around a continuous mining machine and migrated into an explosion-proof compartment that housed a light switch and light switch control.  This was possible because the compartment was not maintained in a permissible condition.  The cover was not properly installed because it had been closed upon a piece of wire left in a flange joint, resulting in a gap exceeding 0.038 cm (0.015 in).  This gap permitted the explosive atmosphere to migrate into the compartment where it was ignited by the operation of the switch. Flame and burning material within the compartment escaped via the gap and ignited the explosive atmosphere in the face area of the 102 section of the No. 1 entry.

 

“Flame and major forces of the explosion propagated from the face area of the 102 section, and split in the main slope entries at the mouth of the 102 section.  Flame and forces traveled inby in Nos. 7, 6, and 5 entries of the slopes to the Slope section, and then moved outby in the slope entries.  The flame extended as far as the No. 56 crosscut, and the major forces traveled further outby to the No. 48 crosscut.

 

Conditions and practices that contributed to the explosion include:

 

  • Improper installation of the lighting system on the mining machine that did not deenergize when the methane monitor exceeded 2.0 percent.
  • Wiring of the light switch and installation of the cover of the explosion-proof compartment by an unqualified person.
  • Failure to test the flame path under the cover of the explosion-proof compartment to ascertain that it was in permissible condition after the cover was installed.”[2]

 

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

 

Jones, Jon C.  “1981 Multiple-Death Fires in the United States,” National Fire Protection Association. Fire Journal, Vol. 76, No. 4, July 1982, p. 68.

 

Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the United States. Arlington, VA: MSHA, U.S. Department of Labor. Accessed 10-5-2008 at:  http://www.msha.gov/MSHAINFO/FactSheets/MSHAFCT8.HTM

 

Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Report of Investigation. Underground Coal Mine Explosion, Dutch Creek No. 1 — I.D. No. 05-00391, Mid-Continent Resources, Inc., Redstone, Pitkin County, Colorado, April 15, 1981. Arlington, VA, MSHA, undated. Accessed 5-25-2017 at: https://www.msha.gov/sites/default/files/News_Media/1981-April-15.pdf

 

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 Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. “Mid-Continent Resources, Inc. Dutch Creek No. 1 Mine Explosion, Redstone, Colorado, April 15, 1981.” Accessed 5-25-2017 at: http://usminedisasters.com/saxsewell/dutch_creek.htm

 

[1] Mine Safety and Health Administration.

[2] Cites as source: Historical Summary of Mine Disasters in the United States — Volume II.