Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, June 26, 2007
By Bill Kombol
On May 13, 1940, methane gas in the mine was ignited by a safety lamp, causing a mine explosion. Courtesy of Palmer Coking Coal Company
The Occidental underground coal mine was located between Palmer/Kanaskat and Cumberland, across the road from another small coal mining community called Bayne.
The mine operated from 1928 to 1945 and produced over 384,000 tons of coal.
On May 13, 1940, methane gas in the mine was ignited by a safety lamp, causing a mine explosion that claimed the life of Pete Bago, an Austrian miner, age 54 with a wife and four children. There were eleven miners working in the mine at the time of the explosion.The same accident badly burned Pete Stefanovich and John Mihelich.
Pictured from left to right: Bob Costanich, unknown miner, unknown miner, Bill Merritt, Bern Hale, Tom Marsden, Joe Bertelli, unknown. Pete Stefanovich is shown covered with coats and blankets on a stretcher, after being brought out of the mine by the rescue crew.
This photo was likely taken by the Enumclaw Courier-Herald.
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