, West Virginia, USA
1907 - December 6 – Monongah Mining disaster: A coal mine explosion kills 362 workers in Monongah, West Virginia

On December 6, 1907, the Monongah Mining disaster shook the small town of Monongah, West Virginia, and reverberated across the nation as one of the deadliest industrial accidents in American history. The tragedy unfolded when an underground explosion ripped through the Fairmont Coal Company's No. 6 and No. 8 mines, instantly claiming the lives of 362 miners, many of whom were immigrants from Europe. The exact cause of the explosion was never definitively determined, but it was likely ignited by a buildup of methane gas or coal dust, exacerbated by poor ventilation and safety standards common in the mining industry at the time.

December 6, 1907

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