Death in the Depths: Coal Mine Blast Claims 2 Lives, Traps 47

In the scorching Arizona desert, a senseless tragedy unfolded in the Blackburn coal mine near Princeton, B.C. on August 14, 1930. A mysterious explosion ripped through a portion of the mine tunnel, burying 47 workers beneath tons of dirt. The blast claimed the lives of Clifford A. Smith, 40, and Albert Cole, 19, whose bodies were recovered soon after the disaster. The families of the entombed miners, clad in somber attire, stood in stunned silence around the crumpled mine entrance, awaiting news of their loved ones.