The Farmington No. 9 mine disaster memorial in Mannington, West Virginia. On this day in 1968, an explosion ripped through the mine operated by Consolidation Coal Company. 21 miners escaped, but 78 were killed. The remains of 19 miners were never recovered. The disaster led to the passage of the 1969 federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, which is credited with spurring a sharp decline in mine fatalities and injuries. Illustration by Brian Pickens.
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