A forgotten Coal Mining Tragedy in Pleasant Hills involving Black Damp which killed a young Police Officer and 2 young boys

As a kid growing up in Carrick section of Pittsburgh in 60's my neighbors up the hill the Heinikies
had an old opening in their back yard which was part of an old coal mine operation which had closed during the depression and was partially filled in we use to play  in .
No one ever gave it a thought but eventually it was filled in and you would never know it was there today.
 Most coal mining in Allegheny County stopped after mines shut down during the depression or shortly after WWII and all  underground coal mining  stopped with closing of Russelton , Harmar  in northern Allegheny county and New Field Coal mine in Penn Hills  in 80s.

With so many old coal mines closed and sealed off you would never give it a second thought something deadly was at play .
But thats exactly what played out one sunny afternoon when some young boys went to play in an old coal mines workings.
 What we did not know and what 2 young boys playing in a old coal mine depression and police officer who would lose his life trying to save them was these old coal workings can produce a dangerous substance known as Black Damp a invisible gas with no smell which displaces all the oxygen  in the air.



It was a brite and sunny day September 12 in 1979 when some young boys would go playing at one of there favorite sites an old coal mine shaft behind the Jefferson Hills  Cemetery in Pleasant Hills  not knowing it would be their last .
A call to emergency dispatch at Pleasant Hills would see a young Officer Breisinger  on the scene first and he would find 2 young boys laying in the shaft not moving he would go into to try and rescue them and succumb to the gas himself several days later.






The shaft would be filled in and forgotten  and a memorial to the officer and boys  now sits beside the municipal building largely forgotten tragedy with a huge warning to all those who dare venture into old  abandoned coal mine working railroad tunnels etc




 Local Explorers at the memorial

Down a Dark Narrow Alley some where in Kittaning leads to a door and the Smallest Stage East of The Mississippi and one of the finest Country Music venues in Pa.

Some times you find the best food and entertainement in some of the strangest of places in Pa.
this is the case with the 1380 AM  WTYM Country Music Dinner Jam which featured the smallest stage east of the misisipi.

 On certain saturday nights you went down a small narrow dark alley and entered thru a double door  which is located behind the Kittaning Newspapers offices which are part of the small Family Life dynasty created by David Croyle  which includes WTYM 1380 AM , Family Life Church and Family Life TV and internet channel .

Once inside you would find a unique small space with small kitchen and tables and chairs  a small stage made from an old pallet and some of the finnest local Country &Western Mucic Groups
 Like Sayer Stepp seen in link below




But the music was not only the finest but some of the best home cooked dinner ou will find anywhere  from a kitchen run by a couple of local ladies who are some of the best dinner makers anywhere .


Plus as a bonus there is a yearly Country music jam held right at the WTYM tower on Bunker Hill across the river from Kittaning.
Check the WTYM Facebook page for upcoming events and when next Country Dinner jam will be held.which they where on hold last I heard 



Kinsua Dam Recreation Area suddenly closed to public over a unspecified Threat creating all kinds of conspiracy's

If you drive or boat all the way up the Allegheny River  to Warren County area you will come to the Kinsua Dam an imposing structure built after the devastating 1936 floods  that hit the Pittsburgh region  to help prevent future flooding . A favorite spot for recreation and fishing




 

But suddenly last week of 8.21.17 the recreation area was closed by the corp of engineers after law enforcement advised of a unspecified threat and it has since reopened but no reason given









Supposedly the dam itself was never part of the concern just the recreation area above the dam.  

The dam has always been controversial because it uprooted over 600 Seneca Tribes members and took away a large section of their reservation.

But now with the closing and reopening of the recreation area wild speculation is flying.

Was it a fugitives on loose?

Was it a UFO found n lake ?

Was it major drug activity?

How about danger from Big foot ?

Was a specific therat to the dam or public made ?

Some kind of secret government project taking place?

All have come out of this unexplained closing but the corp of engineers and law enforcement are not talking .

If i come across any further updates which are credible I will let you know .