By John Mark Shaver, Fairmont News Editor
MANNINGTON, W.Va. — The shockwaves sent through the county, state and country from the 1968 Consol No. 9 Mine disaster can still be felt to this day, and officials marked the 56th anniversary of the tragedy on Sunday with their annual memorial ceremony.
The explosion, which occurred on the morning of Nov. 20, 1968, killed 78 miners, 19 of whom were never recovered from the mine. The disaster has been on the mind of many since it happened, and their friends and family have joined others in the community to honor them year after year at the Consol No. 9 Mine disaster memorial site, which sits directly atop where part of the tragedy occurred.
While the explosion would eventually lead to advancements in mine safety and regulations, United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts said that the human element of the disaster must never be forgotten.
“(Some of these men) probably coached little league baseball or were deacons in churches around here,” Roberts said. “They came from all walks of life and ended up in the coal mine together. They were husbands and fathers and uncles, and maybe even grandfathers. …
“They were people who contributed to this community. They were alive here, and they were taken way too soon. I think about how hard it was to go from saying goodbye to dad and talking about Christmas and then, just like that, they’re gone. Think about what a hole that left in every household.”
