Barnes Hecker Mine Disaster

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Places
Marquette, Michigan, United States
Year range
1926 - 1926
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Barnes-Hecker Mine Memorial

At 8:00 on the morning of November 3, 1926 Captain William Tippett and five mine officials, including Marquette County Moning Inspector descended into the Barnes-Hecker Mine for a routine safety inspection. At 11:25 as the mines were preparing their return to the surface for lunch, a blast of explosives was fired. The explosion opened a vug, a huge natural funnel in the earth which connected the blasted area to a swamp located directly above. Immediately the swamp disappeared into the mine releasing a devastating force of tons of water, mud and debris that completely destroyed the entire mine in 15 minutes. 23 year old Wilfred Wills scrambled up 600 feet of ladders to reach the surface. He was the sole survivor. Ten bodies were retrieved for burial. Continued attempts to recover the entombed forty-one bodies proved to be impossible. A decision resulted in the sealing of the shaft with a slab of concrete. Ceasing all future mining operations the Barnes-Hecker Mine disaster remains the deadliest mining tragedy in recorded history in the state of Michigan.

DEDICATED IN THE MEMORY OF THE BARNES-HECKER VICTIMS AND THEIR SURVIVING FAMILIES.

Presented by the family of Louis Trudell May 11, 2011

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