Lehigh, OK Coal Mine Explosion, Feb 1912

FLAMES RAVAGE OKLAHOMA MINE.

BETWEEN 20 AND 40 BELIEVED TO BE ENTOMBED.

SIX BODIES ARE RECOVERED.

FAILURE OF MACHINERY TO WORK AT CRITICAL MOMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY LIVES -- ONE HUNDRED MEN WALK OR ARE CARRIED TO SAFETY BY RESCUE SQUAD, SOME UNCONSCIOUS, HOPE FOR THOSE REMAINING IN SHAFT IS ABANDONED.

Lehigh, Okla., Feb. 23. -- It is believed that between 20 and 40 miners employed in the coal mine of the Wichita Coal and Mining company lost their lives when fire broke out in mine No. 5, entombing the men. The filling up of the shafts with smoke and the failure of the machinery to work prevented their rescue. Six dead bodies have been removed from the mine and the work is still being pushed. The fire is still raging in the mine and it is not believed that any of those yet within the shafts can be alive. The number of those is estimated variously by different officers of the company at from 15 to 35.
When fire broke out the alarm was spread through the mine of the disaster and more than 100 miners either walked out or were carried out by rescuers overcome by smoke. A large number who were unconscious from suffocation were revived after reaching the fresh air. The work of rescue is being pushed by the rescue party from the rescue station at McAlester.

Evening Tribune Marysville Ohio 1912-02-23

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MINERS ROAST IN PIT.

OVER A SCORE BURNED TO DEATH WHEN MINE TAKES FIRE AND ESCAPE IS CUT OFF.

GOVERNMENT MEN HANDLE RESCUE.

Lehigh, Oklahoma, Feb. 23. -- Between 20 and 40 miners employed in the coal mine of the Wichita Coal & Mining Co., one mile east of Lehigh, lost their lives today when fire broke out about noon in mine No. 5, entombing the men in the pits.
The filling up of the shaft with smoke and the failure of the machinery to work prevented their rescue. At 9 o'clock tonight six dead bodies had been recovered and the work was still being pushed. The fire is still blazing and it is not believed that any of the men within the shaft can still be alive. The number of miners entombed is estimated variously by officials of the company at from 15 to 35.
When the fire started word of the disaster was spread through the mines and more than 100 miners either walked out or were carried out by rescuers. A large number unconscious from suffocation were revived after reaching the fresh air.
The work of rescue is being pushed by men from the U.S. government rescue station at McAlister.

Logansport Journal Indiana 1912-02-24
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!