McIntyre
had two mines: Kent Number One and Kent Number Two. The
McIntyre mine explosion occurred in Kent Number 2, on June 30, 1941. Seven men
were killed, and seventeen were injured.
The bituminous mine inspectors
issued a report of findings and recommendations to the Secretary of Mines,
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on July 17, 1941. In the conclusion of the report, blame
for the accident was placed on the mine foreman and his assistant. The report
said that the foreman and his assistant did not detect and see that the concentration
of methane was removed before allowing the miners into the area. The gas was ignited
by an electric arc created by a set of test lights as a worker was in the process
of testing for defects in a mining machine.Other reported fatal mine accidents in McIntyre were as follows: four men killed in a rock fall on March 27, 1929; and three miners killed on November 19, 1931, also in a rock fall. Explosions, cave-ins, rock falls, and other hazards were part of the miners' work environment. Long term miners were subjected to high concentrations of coal dust and a number of them developed emphysema or black lung disease.