1922 – May 25, Acmar No. 3 Coal Mine gas explosion (miner’s open light), Acmar, AL–  11

Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 4-18-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

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

–11  US Bureau of Mines. “May 24, 1922; Acmar No. 3 Mine, Acmar, Ala.; 11 Killed.” Synopsis

–11  United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. Acmar No. 3.

 Narrative Information

United States Bureau of Mines. “May 24, 1922; Acmar No. 3 Mine, Acmar, Ala.; 11 Killed.”

Synopsis:

“At 12:15 p.m. when the explosion occurred, 80 men were in the mine. All escaped but 11 who were killed and 1 driver who was near the slope. The force of the explosion carried him about 50 feet and left him unconscious and burned about the face and arms.

 

“The explosion, in a pillar area, was caused when gas that accumulated from some derangement of ventilation was ignited by a miner’s open light. The area had not been examined by the fireboss. Dry dust propagated the explosion.

 

“Rescue crews with oxygen breathing apparatus explored the mine and extinguished two small fires. Carbon monoxide detectors were used instead of canary birds and worked very satisfactorily. After this explosion the mine was put on closed lights.”

 

United States Mine Rescue Association. Mine Disasters in the United States. Acmar No. 3:

“The deceased:

  • Herbert Brown
  • N. W. Byers
  • Newman H. Engle
  • John Fincher
  • Calvin Lindsey
  • J. F. Martin
  • John Mitchell
  • Virgil Stone
  • Hez Walker
  • James Wedgeworth
  • G. W. White.” (Cites as source: Alabama Mining Accidents, 1891-1999.)

Sources

 

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. “Alabama Fuel and Iron Company, Acmar No. 3 Mine Explosion, Acmar, Saint Clair County, Alabama, May 25, 1922, No. Killed – 11.” Accessed 4-18-2025 at: https://usminedisasters.miningquiz.com/saxsewell/acmar_1922_news_only.htm