No. 535 May 2009 

NIOSH Releases New Educational Video 

Escape From Farmington No. 9: An Oral History
 

Objective 

Researchers with the National Institute for Occupational 

Safety and Health (NIOSH) have developed a training module to 

educate both new, inexperienced miners as well as veterans on 

important issues related to self-rescue and escape procedures. 

These include: (1) physical and environmental conditions that 

can be encountered in a mine after a major explosion, 

(2) knowledge of emergency meeting locations and escape 

routes, (3) the importance of using self-rescuers, even in 

seemingly clear air, to keep the lungs isolated from contaminants, and (4) why miners should not go off to look for others 

who are missing. In addition, the module may stimulate miners 

to think about and discuss mine explosions and the devastating 

effects of such an event. 

Background 

On November 20, 1968, a massive explosion rocked the 

underground workings of Mountaineer Coal Co.’s Farmington 

No. 9 Mine in West Virginia (Figure 1). Of the 99 miners who 

were working in the mine at the time of the explosion, only 21 

survived and escaped the mine. This group included eight miners 

who were rescued from the Mahan’s Run air shaft. Nearly 

40 years after the event, researchers from the NIOSH Pittsburgh 

Research Laboratory conducted oral history interviews with two 

of the eight survivors rescued from the shaft. 

During their interviews, Waitman “Bud” Hillberry and Gary 

Martin discuss the Farmington Mine disaster, including the 

workplace climate leading up to the explosion, and give detailed 

accounts of their escape from the mine’s 7 South section and 

rescue from the Mahan’s Run air shaft after the explosion. 

During their discussions, Hillberry and Martin describe: 

(1) Events and conditions leading up to the explosion, such 

as ventilation stoppings lagging far behind the faces of 

7 South section 

(2) The explosion event and their initial response to it 

(3) The devastation caused by the initial explosion 

(4) The possible problems that could occur by going back 

to look for missing miners 

(5) Problems that can occur when miners remove their 

self-rescuers, even in seemingly clear air 

(6) Knowing how to properly use self-rescue equipment 

(7) Starting the fans prematurely 

(8) Decisions and actions that played a role in the explosion 

and subsequent rescue efforts 

 Figure 1.—Smoke pouring from the Llewellyn Shaft after the 

explosion at Farmington Mine. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Figure 2.—Gary Martin, one of eight survivors of the Farmington 

Mine disaster, was interviewed by NIOSH researchers. 

Until 2006, training to prepare miners to escape an 

underground mine explosion was largely informal and not 

detailed. At most, trainers reviewed emergency escape procedures and discussed emergency response. In addition, miners 

may have walked the escapeways from their respective work 

stations. 

In 2006, several fatal incidents occurred at U.S. underground 

coal mines. These included an explosion at the Wolf Run Mining 

Co.’s Sago Mine in West Virginia, in which 12 miners perished; 

a mine fire at the Aracoma Coal Co.’s Alma No. 1 Mine in West 

Virginia, in which 2 miners died; and an explosion at the 

Kentucky Darby Coal Co.’s Darby No. 1 Mine, in which 

5 miners died. These incidents raised a number of issues related 

to mine escape and self-rescue following catastrophic events. 

As a result, new regulations were promulgated requiring 

mines to provide quarterly mine escape and evacuation training 

to their workforces. 

Approach 

NIOSH researchers first learned of Hillberry and Martin in 

2002. Both men were contacted and agreed to individual 

videotaped interviews. Hillberry worked as a brattice man at 

the mine and was in the 7 South section building ventilation 

stoppings. Segments of his interview provided important 

information that set the stage for the interview with Martin 

(Figure 2). On the night of the explosion, although a mechanic, 

Martin was running a shuttle car on 7 South section. He gave a 

vivid, detailed account of the event from the time the explosive 

forces came into the working section until he and the seven other 

crew members with him were rescued via the Mahan’s Run air 

shaft. Martin also dramatically described underground 

conditions and the devastation he observed after the initial 

explosion. 

The videotapes of both interviews were reviewed and edited 

by NIOSH researchers for content. Careful attention was paid to 

ensure that valuable information with explicit teaching points 

was presented within a reasonable timeframe. 

Results and Accomplishments 

A 25-minute videotape and instructor’s guide for use in 

safety training or other settings were developed. The target 

audience consists of all underground mine workers, regardless of 

commodity. This training video will help safety instructors better 

prepare both new, inexperienced miners as well as veterans 

for the situations they could encounter should they have to 

escape an underground mine following an explosion. This 

“expectations” training will help miners to better respond should 

an explosion occur. The training module will also provide a 

powerful reminder to all miners that it is critical to make safety 

an everyday practice. 

For More Information 

For more information on the Farmington training module, contact Michael J. Brnich, Jr., CMSP, (412-386-6840, 

MBrnich@cdc.gov) or Charles Vaught, Ph.D. (412-386-6830, 

CVaught@cdc.gov), NIOSH Pittsburgh Research Laboratory, 

P.O. Box 18070, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0070. You may also 

e-mail inquiries to: pithealth@cdc.gov. 

To receive NIOSH documents or for more information about 

occupational safety and health topics, contact: 1–800–CDC– 

INFO (1–800–232–4636), 1–888–232–6348 (TTY), e-mail: 

cdcinfo@cdc.gov, or visit the NIOSH Web site at http:// 

www.cdc.gov/niosh 

Mention of any company name or product does not constitute 

endorsement by the National Institute for Occupational Safety 

and Health. 

DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2009–134