The Hawk's Nest Incident is the story of one of this country's worst industrial disasters. The disaster took place in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. The incident revolves around the contraction of silicosis while constructing a new hydroelectric power plant.
Silicosis is a disease that infects the lungs and gradually causes the cells to digest themselves.
The most common symptom exhibited by infected persons was shortness of breath. Silicosis was contracted through inhaling rock dust that contained silica dust. Blasting away at the rock in order to build a tunnel produced the dust. In 1927 the proposal to build the hydroelectric plant on the New River was brought up. This hydroelectric project was conceived to help boost West Virginia's economy.