Mine Explosion in Ouray, CO

[UncleMatt]

I'm sorry to report there has been a mining accident in Ouray that took 2 lives, and make take more. You can read about it HERE .

 

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[tamrock]

A very sad affair...... My payers go out for the families of the men who lost their lives.

 

[UncleMatt]

They are in my thoughts as well! Hang in there Ouray, Colorado!

 

[pippinwhitepaws]

Colorado Mining Accident Leaves 2 Dead, 20 Injured

"Rory Williams, project manager for Star Mine Operations, told the Ouray Watch newspaper (Watch Newspapers - Breaking Powder Smoke Accident Injures Miners Near Ouray ) the accident was not related to a cave-in or mine collapse but was apparently a "powder-smoke incident," and that the release of chemicals in the smoke injured the miners."

 

[UncleMatt]

Yup, good 'ole carbon-monoxide poisoning! This probably could have been avoided.

 

[dave wiseman]

Any hard rock mining stuff,underground or above is inherently dangerous.The unexpected can and will happen...R.I.P.

 

[gold tramp]

Over the Divide

 

[Springfield]

My thoughts go out to the families. I lived in Ouray in 1974 and worked for several months in the Idarado up on Red Mountain Pass. Underground mining has always been a very dangerous way to make a living and the old-timers at the Big I were very fatalistic about it. I saw a number of injuries, a couple of them serious. I guess on paper these accidents should be avoidable, but underground ... stuff happens.

 

[augoldminer]

MSHA’s preliminary information indicates that a miner entered an area of the mine where an explosive had been previously detonated that was contaminated with lethal levels of carbon monoxide.

There was no reason for this accident except for bad safety practices.
The mine superintendent and mine safety man should be fired.
The first person unto a blast area should have been carrying gas detection equipment.
Dräger X-am® 5000

 

[tamrock]

No doubt a lot more multi gas detectors are going to be used from this point on in all drill blast underground mines from this day on. Many mines do already, but not sure msha requires the use of detectors in metal non-metal underground operations at this time? Back long ago when I worked underground we had to either blow the heading out with the service air line or use a good ol' air mover to get all that bad air out. It was 15, 20 minutes of time to sit down, have a smoke and shoot the bull as we waited for the air condition to improve.
MSHA - Occupational Illness and Injury Prevention Program - Health Topics - Effects of Blasting on Air Quality

 

[Springfield]

No doubt a lot more multi gas detectors are going to be used from this point on in all drill blast underground mines from this day on. Many mines do already, but not sure msha requires the use of detectors in metal non-metal underground operations at this time? Back long ago when I worked underground we had to either blow the heading out with the service air line or use a good ol' air mover to get all that bad air out. It was 15, 20 minutes of time to sit down, have a smoke and shoot the bull as we waited for the air condition to improve.
MSHA - Occupational Illness and Injury Prevention Program - Health Topics - Effects of Blasting on Air Quality

I don't recall any ventilation procedures other than blowers at place at the 10-hundred level at the Idarado in '74. The last thing we did was set off the charges at the end of the shift, then come back 16 hours later to begin the next day (one shift only then on that drift). I guess they figured the stopes would mostly self-ventilate - and they did, as I remember. We carried some sort of emergency breathing kit on our belts, but I never saw one out of its case. Safety training was weak for newbies then - you just watched what other guys did and followed suit.

I remember the MSHA guy (might have been OSHA back then?) coming through and glad-handing the crew every month or two, but nobody took him seriously. Most of the miners were aware that job safety was pretty much on them. If something was obviously amiss (dangerous caving potential, faulty equipment, etc), the company did a pretty good job of taking care of it, IMO. Our shifter, Louie Girado, did all he could to protect us from obvious problems.

The guys knew that if the company had to spend the money necessary to make the mine totally safe, they'd be out of a job, and believe me, they'd rather keep a good-paying job (and it was real good $$$ in '74), than have to find something else in Montrose. I know that's how I felt. But, that was 40 years ago too. I haven't kept up with things in the underground mining game in CO, but I expect that things are generally safer for everyboby - which is good - and I'll wager the pay is way less.

The companies are always targeted when something bad happens, often justifiably, but as I mentioned earlier ... sometimes stuff happens underground that nobody can prevent.

 

[augoldminer]

I always tried to blast at the end of the day and return the next morning.

I had a three gas unit and a few times i still got a alarm the next day in blind drifts and unventilated headings when the out side temp matched mine temp and we had no wind.

Any company that can not afford a couple gas detection units has a problem.

I did not work a company mine and still we had two gas detection units

 

[tamrock]

I don't recall any ventilation procedures other than blowers at place at the 10-hundred level at the Idarado in '74. The last thing we did was set off the charges at the end of the shift, then come back 16 hours later to begin the next day (one shift only then on that drift). I guess they figured the stopes would mostly self-ventilate - and they did, as I remember. We carried some sort of emergency breathing kit on our belts, but I never saw one out of its case. Safety training was weak for newbies then - you just watched what other guys did and followed suit.

I remember the MSHA guy (might have been OSHA back then?) coming through and glad-handing the crew every month or two, but nobody took him seriously. Most of the miners were aware that job safety was pretty much on them. If something was obviously amiss (dangerous caving potential, faulty equipment, etc), the company did a pretty good job of taking care of it, IMO. Our shifter, Louie Girado, did all he could to protect us from obvious problems.

The guys knew that if the company had to spend the money necessary to make the mine totally safe, they'd be out of a job, and believe me, they'd rather keep a good-paying job (and it was real good $$$ in '74), than have to find something else in Montrose. I know that's how I felt. But, that was 40 years ago too. I haven't kept up with things in the underground mining game in CO, but I expect that things are generally safer for everyboby - which is good - and I'll wager the pay is way less.

The companies are always targeted when something bad happens, often justifiably, but as I mentioned earlier ... sometimes stuff happens underground that nobody can prevent.

IDARADO, boy! that place has been shut down for a time now. I tried selling them the brand of rock drill bits and drill rod for the company I worked for maybe 20 plus years ago now?. The stuff I sold was made in America, but they said thar' ain't nothing better then that stuff made in Sweden, so I could just take my $hit and get on down the road. Crusty farts!

Time of a shot would all depend on the method of mining your doing. I worked in Leadville 77 to 83 and at that mine we had hang-up shots going through out the day. Driving draw point development, they'd drill, blast & muck as fast as they could. The stopes though were shot at the end of each shift and the guys on the next shift where back in the stopes I would say in 2 hours? ...We had two to three fatalities each year I worked at that mine, 'No Drug Tests in those days.

A mine contractor driving say a small 6' by 8' drift would drill, blast, muck, bar down and get the rock supported as many times he could do in the time their working, ya hope he'd ventilate good before he'd go back in to check for any missfires?

I was in Ouray this week and the miners are still working on the surface only for now, as MSHA conducts their investigation. I'm sure this incident will be a case study in my next MSHA annual refresher. As for now it has not fully been determined as to how this all happened. Underground mining is still a dangerous job, but still things happen, but not like years ago. Miners in the USA are in my opinion the safest folks around in what they do. It always sucks to see things can still bring on the sorrow and sadness to the family of a miner, as those are the folks who will feel the pain of it all.