01/02/2026
A mining cart full of men went to work that morning, and only one would come back out alive.
On January 2, 2006, in Sago, West Virginia, an explosion ripped through the Sago Mine in Upshur County, becoming the deadliest U.S. mining disaster since the 1968 Farmington Mine tragedy.
At 5:50 a.m., a mine professional conducted an examination and cleared the mine for operation. Shortly after, two carts carrying miners entered the mine to begin their shift. Around 6:30 a.m., the first cart passed the point where the explosion would occur. One miner was killed instantly in the blast, while twelve others attempted to take shelter from deadly carbon monoxide fumes.
The second cart, carrying fourteen men, escaped the initial explosion. The foreman, whose brother was on the first cart, along with four others, attempted a rescue. They were forced to stop nearly 9,000 feet into the mine when carbon monoxide levels became too dangerous to continue.
Emergency calls began around 7:40 a.m., including requests for a specialized mine rescue team. MSHA was notified at approximately 8:30 a.m. and arrived around 10:30 a.m., with the first rescue crew arriving shortly after. It took rescue teams 41 hours to reach the trapped miners.
Only one miner, Randal McCloy Jr., was found alive. He was removed from the mine around 1:30 a.m. on January 4th. He was suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning and multiple other injuries.
The twelve miners who lost their lives were:
Thomas P. Anderson, Alva M. Bennett, James Bennett, Jerry L. Groves, George J. Hamner, Terry Helms, Jesse L. Jones, David W. Lewis, Martin Toler Jr., Fred G. Ware, Jackie L. Weaver, and Marshall Winans.
Initial theories suggested a lightning strike from a nearby thunderstorm ignited methane gas. However, the Charleston Gazette reported that the Sago Mine was known for roof falls and had been cited 208 times by MHSA for safety violations.
The Sago Mine disaster remains a painful reminder of the human cost of mining, and the importance of safety, accountability, and never forgetting those who paid the ultimate price.
