78 men were lost in the 1968 explosion of a coal mine in Farmington, gathering right atop the sealed-off shaft—the final resting place for 19 unrecovered miners. This tragedy didn't just devastate a community; it fueled a national fight for safety, leading to the landmark 1969 Mine Safety Act. #FarmingtonMineDisaster #WestVirginia #WVHistory #MineSafety #CoalMining #NeverForget #HistoryTok #LocalNews #Appalachia #WVNews | WV News

50 years ago today, a massive explosion ripped through the Consolidation Coal Company’s Number 9 mine near Farmington. Twenty-one miners were able to escape, but another 78 were trapped inside. It led to passage of the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, which placed strict rules on mine roof supports and ventilation. Learn more here: http://www.wvpublic.org/post/november-20-1968-farmington-mine-explosion-kills-78 | West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Video courtesy of West Virginia State Archives shows the aftermath of the Farmington mine disaster. Today marks the 50th anniversary of the tragedy in which 78 miners died. http://bit.ly/2Bl8Xh8 | WCHS Eyewitness News