Guy E. Quinn, 42, mine shift foreman, died attempting to rescue Charles W. Hart, 36, mine shot-firer, and ten others from suffocation, Pursglove, West Virginia, January 8, 1943. Fire started in a mine, and carbon monoxide gas and dense smoke drifted through a haulage-way toward headings in which men were working. Quinn in the mine gave instructions to three motormen to notify men in various workings and then walked in the haulage-way toward the fire area. He was nearly overcome and went to a point not affected by the fire. Learning there that Hart and 10 other workmen had not been warned by the motorman Quinn had instructed to warn them, Quinn called for volunteers to accompany him to aid the men. A motorman whom Quinn particularly wished to have with him refused, because he regarded the trip too dangerous. Then Quinn and Bradford Gainer and the man who had failed to carry out his instructions, each holding a moistened handkerchief over his nose and mouth, walked 1,500 feet to the haulage-way and then 700 feet against the course of the smoke, in which they could see but three feet, to a heading, which Gainer and the other man entered to look for the workmen. Quinn walked 500 feet farther in the smoke and opened an air-lock to divert the smoke from reaching the heading. Observing that the men already had left the heading Gainer and the other man returned to the haulage-way and found Quinn on the floor, unable to go farther. He told them to save themselves. They carried Quinn, who was semi-conscious, 50 feet toward safety, and then left him and went to the place from which they had started. Later other men wearing gasmasks carried Quinn to pure air, but he could not be revived. Hart and the other 10 workmen were found nearer to the fire than where they had been working. All were dead. 39788-3308
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