On October the 13th, 1954 an outburst of ‘Black Damp’ or carbon dioxide poured through the No. 1 State Mine, killing 7 men and 2 pit ponies.
The outburst occurred at about 5:30pm, on the afternoon shift. For some of the survivors it was a matter of pure chance that they lived.
Rescue efforts began immediately, however there was inadequate rescue equipment on site and no communication underground.
The miners were buried the following day in graves dug by their mates. 2000 people attended the funeral, marching 3 kilometres from ANZAC Hall to the cemetery.
Many older Collinsville locals remember the exact moment the bells rung in the town, signalling the emergency, with many stories still told today about helping mum to prepare dinner, or dressing for an outing to the picture house. In a small community as tight knit as Collinsville, the tragedy rocked every family, and has been remembered annually in a memorial service since that fateful day.
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