History in the form of memories and learned lessons was the topic of February’s Emery County Historical Society meeting. Lori Ann Larsen, society president welcomed everyone. She introduced the evening’s speaker, Tony Koss by telling of his mining career. Koss began in mining in 1975 at the Braztah Mine. In 1977 he began working at the Deer Creek Mine.
Koss was on the mine rescue teams from the beginning of his career. He participated in competitions that resulted in four national championships. He also traveled to other mine disasters to help with the rescue and recovery efforts around the nation. He has worked at Deer Creek for nearly 40 years.
“I am like other miners who want to stay hidden in the background,” Koss began. “But I am pleased to be here because the story needs to be told about the courageous efforts of everyone involved with the Wilberg Mine disaster. My memories, along with the other miners, are 30 years old now, but the lessons learned from the Wilberg are important.”
Koss told of the movie which aired recently at Emery High School concerning events which began Dec. 19. 1984 when a fire was reported at the Wilberg Mine. Dr. Elaine Cullen from the University of Texas Arlington directed the movie with Mark Clive was the producer. Cullen said at the premier that everyone remembers things differently and the movie is a compilation of some of those memories.
“My personal viewpoint,” said Koss, “is that I have the greatest respect for the families of the victims, so tonight I will concentrate and honor those who worked in the original rescue and recovery effort.” Koss went on to say that when people are in any dangerous situation they form a tight bond and closeness with each other.
“I have the utmost respect for the rescue teams, those who worked in the recovery effort, and the support personnel who all wanted those miners trapped in the mine to be home with their families for Christmas,” Koss stated. “In my 40 year mining career, Wilberg was by far the hardest thing I have ever done. The Wilberg disaster was a tragic occurrence which affected everyone in the small towns and valleys of this area. It impacts lives even now.”
Koss stated that 26 men and one woman were killed in the disaster, nine of those were the upper management of the mine who were on hand to witness and congratulate a record day of cutting coal at the mine. One miner escaped from the burning section. This was the worst, and still is, the worst coal mine fire in Utah.
Several laws have been enacted as a result of the Wilberg disaster. “The coal mining industry is safer today because of these laws,” said Koss. One of the new laws deals with lifelines out of the mine. These lines are strung now to aid miners who may be caught in conditions were visibility is difficult. Miners can follow these lines to get out of the mine. Other laws address self contained self rescuers and their availability throughout the mines, and training and safety procedures for mine rescue teams.
The Wilberg fire was measured to have burned at near 1,800 degrees at its center, which is hot enough to melt metal. Koss said fighting the fire with water was difficult as the extreme temperature reduced water to its chemical elements. Gases caused by the fire were deemed to be the cause of the deaths of the miners at the Wilberg. Carbon monoxide gas is produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon material. It is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Black damp, which is a lack of oxygen, was also a concern. Methane, which is liberated by the mining process is extremely explosive and those levels were carefully monitored.
“The Wilberg disaster is broken down into two parts,” Koss said. “The first, the rescue effort, was from Dec. 19 – 23. During the afternoon of the 23rd, the mine was evacuated due to rapidly increasing gas levels and the fear of explosion. The fan was turned off, and the backup generator had to be shot out, to stop the flow of the fresh air fueling the fire. The second part was the recovery which began around Feb. 13, 1985. The location and removal of all the lost miner’s bodies did not occur for nearly a year.
“It wasn’t until Dec. 16, that all the bodies were located, identified and removed from Wilberg. We couldn’t get them home for Christmas in ‘84, so we were determined to get them home for Christmas the following year.
“I want to emphasize how important it is to remember everyone involved with this disaster. A newspaper stated at the time that the mine rescue teams were ‘heroes with no victory’. I want you all to remember not just the mine rescue teams, but everyone who was involved, from the support crews to the recovery crews. Think about the courage of everyone who was there, and it did take great courage. These brave miners showed up every day in horrible conditions to recover their brothers,” Koss concluded.
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