TOPMOST MINE ACCIDENT CLAIMS 8 LIVES
 

Eight men lost their lives in a tragic mine accident in Topmost, Monday afternoon when the NO. 18 Adkins mine suffered a severe explosion. The explosion occurred at approximately 2:30 p.n. and was so intense that head lamps from a vehicle parked near to the scene were shattered.

Five six-men teams from the Department of Mines and Minerals in addition to several county rescue squad and mine rescue teams from surrounding mining companies took part in the rescue attempt that took most of the night.

Shortly before midnight it was learned that all eight miners had lost their lives in the explosion.  Family and friends kept a vigil at the Beaver Creek Elementary School during the night as they awaited news from the mine and the recover of the eight bodies. 

The Red Cross neighborhood volunteers supplied food and drink to the waiting families.

The eight men who lost their lives had gone into the mine just 30 minutes before the explosion.  A make-shift morgue was set up at Knott County Fire Department and Rescue Squad facility where all 8 miners, Bob Slone, David Slone, Dillard Ashley, Keith Crager, James Gibson, Tom Center, Roy Perry and Clarence Perry identifies.

Although the cause of the explosion has not been determined, Officials at the mine believe it may have been caused by methane gas as the mine was wet-ruling out a dust explosion. The deaths made the accident the worst coal mine explosion disaster in Kentucky since March 1976, when 26 people were killed in two explosions at Scotia Coal Company's No. 1 mine at Oven Fork in Letcher Co.

Several State Police units sealed off the area. A large crowd gathered at the mouth of the hollow on Route 7, approximately one mile from the mine site, waiting for information on the recovery effort.  Approximately 125 persons, mainly family members, gathered at Beaver Creek Elementary School, about two miles from the mine, solemnly waiting for information from the state police and mine officials about the rescue efforts, and finally, for confirmation concerning the recovery of the bodies.

Authorities did not release the names of the men trapped in the mine until the families were notified that the bodes had been recovered and identified. Still, everyone waiting near the mine site knew the identities of those trapped.

At 2:35 a.m,. the bodies were transported from the mine site to the Knott County Rescue Squad building in Dema where some family members made positive identification.

Bob Slone, the foreman of the crew, had gone to work on the second shift at 2 p.m. about a half hour before the explosion, his brother-Kennell stated.  The victim was the father of seven children; his wife is expecting another child very soon.

Orville Adkins of Langley in Floyd County is the owner of the mine. The mine has been producing approximately 300-350 tons of coal a day and has 22 non-supervisory employees according to the sate Department of Mines and Minerals.  The coal being mined is reported to be the No. 1 Elkhorn coal seam, around 34 inches thick, 162 feet below the top of the mountain. 

Charles Conley a Wayland miner, who worked the first shift and left the mine at 2 p.m. was quoted in yesterday's Louisville Courier-Journal as saying he saw no problems in the mine when he left. "Everything looked good."

A mine explosion at Adkins Coal company's No. 18 Mine killed a Topmost miner a little over a year ago. Maynard Hunter, a 31 year-old roof bolter, died because of injuries received on Oct 8, 1980 when explosives blasted through a mine wall into the area where he was working, according to copyrighted Courier-Journal article.

At press time, deputy coroner Danny Terry reported the miners; cause of death was smoke inhalation. He states that no broken bones were discovered during the autopsy. He added the bodies were burned from the heat of the blast.

Mr. Terry announced the following funeral arrangements to be conducted by the Hindman Funeral Home:

Clarence and Roy Perry, Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Rebecca Regular Baptist Church

Dillard Ashley, Friday at 10 a.m. at the Ball Branch Regular Baptist Church

Tommy Centers, Friday at 1 p.m. at the Kodak Church of Christ

Bob Slone, Friday at 10 a.m. at the Mill Creek Church in Deane.

The Knott Funeral Home is handling arrangements for James Gibson and David Slone

Hall Brothers Funeral home is in chage of arrangements for Keith Crager
 

Source: Troublesome Creek Times, Wednesday, December 9, 1981