A Strange Fate of a Coal Mine with a history of Accidents and Explosions leads to worst Coal Mine Disaster in Pa history during Christmas Time

 Many Infamous Coal Mine disasters seemed to always happen around Christmas Time when gas in mines would build to explosive levels and the Port Royal 2#  Mine portal in Rostraver Pa was no exception  

In  June 1901  an explosion would trap 4 miners  luckily its was an off shift and mine was not full of workers but as rescuers with open flame lamps went into rescue them  they to would encounter an explosion  as well and the same would happen the next day as another team of rescuers went in the next day. 3 explosions in 3 days .

It would take 3 months to recover all those killed and in the end 16 rescuers and 4 miners died one never to be recovered. The body of John Prebble  still in the mine to this day. 


 

The Pittsburgh Coal Company would permanently close the mine in October of 1901 and open what was thought to be a much safer mine  The Darr Mine  further up river but the worst disaster in coal mine history would happen In Pa on December 19  1907  just days before worst coal mine disaster in US the Monogah Mine Explosion. 

1907 Would be the deadliest year in coal mining taking over 1000 men and boys  lives in multiple states

To this day the total number of those killed and still trapped in the mines is not known because often miners took sons and relatives into mines to work and they where not accounted for.  

https://archive.triblive.com/news/youghiogheny-river-trail-is-a-pathway-to-history/

  Today all that is left of Port Royal is this marker and a few foundations of what was the town of Port Royal.  which can be accessed from great allegehny passage bike trail.


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