Flags in Nanaimo are at half-mast today to remember the lives of 150 miners who were lost 135 years ago in the provincesa国际传媒檚 worst mining disaster.

In the No. 1 Esplanade Mine explosion on May 3, 1887, 46 women lost their husbands and 126 children lost their fathers, devastating the small community of approximately only 2,000 people, a release from the City of Nanaimo noted.

sa国际传媒淪tarting at 5:55 pm sa国际传媒� two explosions occurred 260 metres below sea level in what was known as the citysa国际传媒檚 largest mine, No. 1 Esplanade Mine. The blast was so forceful it rocketed through the underground shafts for almost a kilometre. The underground fire burned for two weeks.

sa国际传媒淏ecause of such damage, the last of the bodies could not be recovered until July. Unfortunately, seven men never were recovered and remain somewhere beneath the Nanaimo Harbour to this day,sa国际传媒� read the citysa国际传媒檚 release. sa国际传媒淎 jury blamed the explosion on the firing of an unprepared and badly planted charge that ignited accumulated gas fuelled by coal dust.sa国际传媒�

More information on the tragedy can also be found at .

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mandy.moraes@nanaimobulletin.com
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