It is a good time to remind people of Sunshine (the tragedy that could have been prevented, and that caused MESA to shift from Interior to labor, and become MSHA). And maybe a prayer for all miners. A little history with it. The Sunshine event brought about M/NM regulations in the 1977 Act. As a result of Scotia and Sunshine, what used to be MESA (Mine Enforcement and Safety Administration) under the Department of Interior was changed to our current day MSHA under the Department of Labor. Sunshine was the second largest M/NM disaster in mining history.
In the morning of May 2, 1972, a fire broke out in the Sunshine Mine. According to the US Mine Rescue Association, 91 workers died from smoke inhalation or carbon monoxide poisoning; 83 men were rescued, 81 on May 2 and two on May 9. The mine was closed for seven months after the fire, which was one of the worst mining disasters in American history and is the worst disaster in Idaho’s history.
46 years ago.
You Are My Sunshine
| M-NM-By-Specific-Month-Qry | |||||||
| DATE | MONTH | STATE | LOCATION | MINE NAME | MINE TYPE | DISASTER TYPE | FATALITIES |
| 5/30/1874 | 5 | AZ | Amador, CA | Amador | Gold | Fall of Cage | 5 |
| 5/3/1884 | 5 | NY | Gouverneur, NY | Gouverneur | Marble | Cage Fall | 6 |
| 5/14/1893 | 5 | MI | Calumet, MI | Red Jacket Shaft | Copper | Hoisting | 10 |
| 5/12/1905 | 5 | MT | Butte, MT | Cora | Copper | Explosion | 7 |
| 5/5/1911 | 5 | MI | Negaunee, MI | Hartford-Cambria Mine #2 | Iron | Fire | 7 |
| 5/13/1912 | 5 | MI | Ironwood, MI | Norrie | Iron | Cave In | 7 |
| 5/17/1930 | 5 | WV | Union, WV | Terry & Butterskill Quarry | Rock | Blasting | 6 |
| 5/15/1970 | 5 | WA | Stevens Cnty, WA | Silver Eagle Mine | Silver | Asphyxiation | 3 |
| 5/2/1972 | 5 | ID | Kellogg, ID | Sunshine Mining Co | Silver | Fire | 91 |
| 5/10/1982 | 5 | AZ | Superior, AZ | Magma | Copper | Roof Fall | 3 |
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