Union Pacific No. 2 Accident 1914
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Location: Cumberland, Lincoln, Wyoming, United States
Disasters | Mining Disasters | Wyoming, Mining Disasters | Union Pacific No. 2 Accident 1914
Contact: United States Mining Disasters
Contents |
History and Circumstances
- Date: 30 Apr 1914
- Location: Cumberland, Wyoming
- Victims: 2 deaths, 1 fatal injury, 7 seriously injured and a score of people slightly injured
- Cause: Mine car accident
Mine History
Mine Disaster Circumstances
Two men were killed, a third fatally injured, seven seriously injured and a score are slightly injured as the result of the breaking of a coupling in this mine.
A train of ten mine cars was coming up the slope of the mine with about 62 men aboard when the coupling between the third and fourth cars broke and seven cars started down the slope, gaining terrific momentum within a few seconds.
Many of the miners, realizing that death would result if they were carried to the bottom of the slope, threw themselves from the cars and escaped. Before the cars proceeded 200 feet, their velocity was so great that they jumped the rails and crashed into the walls of the slope.
Two men were horribly crushed and instantly killed. Eight others were crushed or maimed and several of them will be permanently crippled.
The less seriously hurt of the injured were in cars, the momentum of which, was checked by the cars which jumped the rails. The car was equipped with a "safety rope" but this broke when the breaking of the coupling put a great strain upon it.
Note: The report indicated three killed rather that five. Undoubtedly, 2 of the injured died later. [1]
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| Denver Rocky Mountain News – 4 May 1914 [2] |
Results and Findings
In Memoriam
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