Ten random things: April 6

Ten U.S. mining disasters:

1. McClure No. 1 Mine explosion, McClure, Virginia, 1983: seven deaths
2. Blacksville No. 1 fire, Blacksville, West Virginia, 1972: nine deaths
3. Belle Isle Mine explosion, Franklin, Louisiana, 1979: five deaths
4. Granite Mountain Shaft fire, Butte, Montana, 1917: one hundred sixty-three deaths
5. Porter Tunnel flood, Tower City, Pennsylvania, 1977: nine deaths
6. No. 11 Mine explosion, Kite, Kentucky, 1981: eight deaths
7. Orient No. 2 explosion, West Frankfort, Illinois, 1951: one hundred nineteen deaths
8. Sunshine Mine fire, Kellogg, Idaho, 1972: ninety-one deaths
9. Crandall Canyon Mine collapse, Huntington, Utah, 2007: nine deaths
10. Dutch Creek No. 1 explosion, Redstone, Colorado, 1981: fifteen deaths

Yesterday's explosion in the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia was the deadliest mining disaster in the United States since the 1984 Wilberg Mine fire in Utah. I saw an article tonight with the headline, W.Va. mine owner accused of putting safety second, and I'm not sure that's fair. I doubt they put the safety of their workers anywhere near as high as second.