Deadly Birt Coal Mine explosion
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (WJAC) — This week’s look into our archives takes us to a mine tragedy 61 years ago.
A blast inside a coal storage silo, near Riverside in Cambria County, killed three construction workers.
Our film crew was there, documenting what happened soon after the explosion on January 18th, 1963.
Reports at the time say the force blew the lid off the top of the 80-foot-tall bin.
Joseph Skura of Portage, Philip Bever of Ferndale and a man from West Virginia were killed.
Crews from Bethlehem Mine Corporation were lowered in by crane to recover the victims.
It took them 4 hours to complete their mission.
A member of Pennsylvania governor William Scranton’s administration was there to help with the investigation.
It’s believed that the men were using cutting torches which may have caused the explosion.
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