Date | 12 September 1944 |
---|---|
Location | Hlobane, Natal, South Africa |
Coordinates | 27°42′37″S 30°59′54″E / 27.710286°S 30.998380°E / -27.710286; 30.998380 |
Cause | Methane explosion |
Casualties | |
57 dead | |
6 injured |
A methane explosion killed 57 miners at the Hlobane Colliery, Natal, South Africa on 12 September 1944.[1] During drilling of a dyke in a coal seam, methane built up during the night due to insufficient ventilation in the mine.[1]
The explosion was said to have been caused by a miner relighting his lamp.[1] He was in charge of monitoring the methane levels and its high levels had extinguished his lamp.[1] The explosion resulted in the deaths of 57 miners and six serious injuries.[1]
On the 39th anniversary of the explosion in 1983, a similar explosion killed 68 miners at the same mine.[1]
References
[edit]
This article about mining is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This article about disaster management or a disaster is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |