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.
