Smith Mine Disaster Historical Marker MT
Motorcyclist Map
Places Filter: Historic
View In Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/HaXTHCgQVAkhsB688
Description: The Smith Mine stands as the location of Montana's most devastating underground coal mine catastrophe. The deteriorating structures across the coulee serve as a somber memorial to the 74 men who tragically lost their lives deep within the mine on the fateful morning of February 27, 1943. The emergence of smoke from the entrance to the No. 3 vein was the initial ominous sign of trouble. "Something is amiss below. I'm making my way out," the hoist operator urgently relayed. He, along with two fellow miners in close proximity, were the final individuals to escape the mine, just in the nick of time. As rescue crews tirelessly toiled to clear debris and search for survivors, families of the trapped men anxiously awaited news. Regrettably, there were no survivors to be found. While some met their fate due to a violent explosion, the majority succumbed to the lethal methane gases released during the blast. This devastating tragedy prompted extensive investigations at both the state and national levels, leading to critical improvements in mine safety protocols. The present-day marker commemorating the Smith Mine Disaster follows in the footsteps of a simpler one, left behind by two miners who found themselves trapped underground after the explosion, awaiting the inexorable arrival of the poisonous gas they knew would eventually overcome them.