Show CARBIDE LAMPS ARE SAFE gas and dust was the cause of the explosion which resulted in the death of frank hora at the wheeling creek mine of the lorain coal dock company ohio at 2 january 1914 it was at first supposed that the residue from carbide lamps had caused the explosion some of this residue was found in breakthrough break through 5 about feet from the center of the explosion As a preliminary pending the investigation a temporary order was issued forbidding the miners of wheeling creek mine using carbide lamps the local union passed a resolution demanding a thorough investigation and refused to go to work unless allowed to continue using carbide lamps in the meantime chief mine inspector davies deputy inspector gaffney together with safety commissioner of mines roan of the state of ohio aided by other deputies officials and experts were m making aking a most searching investigation it was soon demonstrated that as the residue left by the carbide lamps is merely slacked lime it could therefore not be considered as a cause and it was proved conclusively that even had there been fresh carbide in the breakthrough break through it could not have had anything to do with the explosion as the breakthrough was dry carbide will not give off sufficient gas when exposed to the air to cause an explosive mixture or an ignitable igni table mixture un J AA two views of underground compressor room silver king coalition showing switchboard motor generator and exciter sets photos by L 0 howard less brought in contact with actual water the moisture in the air is not sufficient to make enough acetylene to ignite there can never be an accumulation of gas produced from carbide by moist air for the obvious reason that in order to produce gas any air which has given up its moisture to produce acetylene must move on and the acetylene goes with it the careful investigation of the location of the carbide residue showed that as a matter of fact this residue was shut off from the butt entry in which the explosion occurred by a substantial brattice the residue being located within three feet of the adjoining butt entry in breakthrough break through 5 and as before stated with a brattice between it and the butt entry in which the explosion occurred when these facts became apparent a meeting of the local union was called the order prohibiting the use of acetylene was rescinded by the chief mine inspector his deputies and the safety commissioner this action resulted in great relief and satisfaction is to all concerned the investigation into the actual cause of the explosion continued the work of the ohio mine inspectors spec tors and the safety commission was supplemented by an investigation conducted by J W paul of the U S bureau of mines it was found that the explosion was caused by an accumulation of methane fire damp intensified by dust E H althof of milford utah was a recent salt lake visitor h 1 ift F I 1 alf 1 I afi f x r i alke I 1 loading chutes at shaft underground station silver king coalition photo by L 0 howard |