The Mitsubishi Hōjō mine disaster occurred December 15, 1914, in Kyushu, Japan. A gas explosion at the Hōjō (Hojyo) coal mine killed 687. It is the worst mining accident in Japanese history.[2]
Mitsubishi formally opened the Hōjō mine in 1908. It was the seventh mine in an elaborate network of mines known as the Mitsubishi Chikuho coalfield.[4] The mine was a shaft mine that pioneered deep shaft mining in Japan and was one of the deeper mines of its day, at parts was 295 feet (90 m) deep. [4]
Explosionedit
On December 15, 1914 coal dust and methane gas mixed together in the air until some sort of spark set off a giant explosion. The blast sent the mine shaft cage, used to take miners in and out of the mine, flying out of the mine shaft.
After the explosion, the owners of mine cut up hundreds of oranges and tossed them down the shaft thinking that the citrus would negate the poison gas fumes.[1] As the rescuers went down into the mine they "Each held a summer orange in their mouth and went down breathing only through their noses" under the same belief.[1] After a short while to prevent the fire from spreading underground and destroying valuable coal the mine's entrances were sealed to put out the fire but as a result, also killing anyone who survived the initial explosion underground.[3] As with most Japanese mines the wives worked with their husbands and an estimated 20% of those killed were women.[3]
^Different sources give different death tolls: 680[1] 686[2] Orii adumbrates report that Mitsubishi may have tried to cover up the actual death toll which in reality could have been as high as 1000 miners killed[3]
Burton, W. Donald (2014). Coal-Mining Women in Japan: Heavy Burdens. Routledge. ISBN9781317800422. - Total pages: 256
Cleveland, Cutler J.; Morris, Christopher G. (2013). Handbook of Energy: Chronologies, Top Ten Lists, and Word Clouds. Elsevier. ISBN9780124170193. - Total pages: 968
Walker, Brett L. (2011). Toxic Archipelago: A History of Industrial Disease in Japan. University of Washington Press. ISBN9780295803012. - Total pages: 352
November 01, 2023
hōjō, coal, mine, disaster, mitsubishi, hōjō, mine, disaster, occurred, december, 1914, kyushu, japan, explosion, hōjō, hojyo, coal, mine, killed, worst, mining, accident, japanese, history, hojyo, coal, mine, disasteramerican, news, coverage, disasterdatedece. The Mitsubishi Hōjō mine disaster occurred December 15 1914 in Kyushu Japan A gas explosion at the Hōjō Hojyo coal mine killed 687 It is the worst mining accident in Japanese history 2 Hojyo Coal Mine DisasterAmerican news coverage of the disasterDateDecember 15 1914LocationMitsubishi Hōjō Coal MineCoordinates33 40 55 N 130 47 16 E 33 68194 N 130 78778 E 33 68194 130 78778CauseCoal Mine explosionCasualties687 1000 A 1 Contents 1 Mine details 2 Explosion 3 Deaths by mine sector 4 BibliographyMine details editMitsubishi formally opened the Hōjō mine in 1908 It was the seventh mine in an elaborate network of mines known as the Mitsubishi Chikuho coalfield 4 The mine was a shaft mine that pioneered deep shaft mining in Japan and was one of the deeper mines of its day at parts was 295 feet 90 m deep 4 Explosion editOn December 15 1914 coal dust and methane gas mixed together in the air until some sort of spark set off a giant explosion The blast sent the mine shaft cage used to take miners in and out of the mine flying out of the mine shaft After the explosion the owners of mine cut up hundreds of oranges and tossed them down the shaft thinking that the citrus would negate the poison gas fumes 1 As the rescuers went down into the mine they Each held a summer orange in their mouth and went down breathing only through their noses under the same belief 1 After a short while to prevent the fire from spreading underground and destroying valuable coal the mine s entrances were sealed to put out the fire but as a result also killing anyone who survived the initial explosion underground 3 As with most Japanese mines the wives worked with their husbands and an estimated 20 of those killed were women 3 Deaths by mine sector editDeaths by mine sector location 3 Sector DeathsLeft Nogi Ascent 112Right Mata Descent area 250New Oyama Fourth Descent area 60Second New Kuroki Descent 88Second New Mata Right Slope 70Ditto Left No 3 Descent 50Third New Mata Descent 50Bibliography editNotes Different sources give different death tolls 680 1 686 2 Orii adumbrates report that Mitsubishi may have tried to cover up the actual death toll which in reality could have been as high as 1000 miners killed 3 a b c Burton 2014 p 72 a b Cleveland amp Morris 2013 p 74 a b c d Burton 2014 p 73 a b Walker 2011 p 188 References Burton W Donald 2014 Coal Mining Women in Japan Heavy Burdens Routledge ISBN 9781317800422 Total pages 256 Cleveland Cutler J Morris Christopher G 2013 Handbook of Energy Chronologies Top Ten Lists and Word Clouds Elsevier ISBN 9780124170193 Total pages 968 Walker Brett L 2011 Toxic Archipelago A History of Industrial Disease in Japan University of Washington Press ISBN 9780295803012 Total pages 352 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hōjō Coal Mine Disaster amp oldid 1181315279, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
