In October of 1966, a coal refuse bank in Aberfan, Wales, slipped, creating a tide of coal sludge that killed 144 people, most of whom were school children. This disaster prompted the U.S. Bureau of Mines to inspect 38 coal waste dams in the state of West Virginia in 1966, including the one on Buffalo Creek.
Full Answer
What happened in the Buffalo Creek disaster?
- Governor's Ad Hoc Commission Report Early on the morning of February 26, 1972, a coal slurry impoundment on Buffalo Creek collapsed, sending millions of gallons of wastewater rushing into the valley below. Hundreds died or were injured, and thousands were left homeless.
What president was involved in the Buffalo Creek flood?
On February 27, President Richard Nixon, while on a trip to Shanghai, China, declared the Buffalo Creek flood a Major Disaster, clearing the way for Federal Government assistance. The U.S. Bureau of Mines immediately began an investigation into the causes of the dam failure.
What happened to the pickup truck driver in the Buffalo Creek accident?
The pickup truck drivers managed to escape the pond; however, the operator of the bulldozer did not. His was the only death that resulted from the collapse of the refuse bank, the same type of dam that led to the destruction of the Buffalo Creek Valley.
What are some of the worst environmental disasters in America?
Officials have called the spill one of the worst environmental disasters in the Southeastern United States. There was no loss of human life, but the water contamination and pollution greatly affected the environment and the water system of the Appalachian region.
What was the actual settlement agreement on Buffalo Creek disaster?
In an out of court settlement, the survivors were awarded $13.5 million, $6 million of which was distributed on the basis of a point system as compensation for the psychological damages.
What occurred in 1967 and 1971 that led to the Buffalo Creek disaster?
A mine-waste impoundment located on the Middle Fork of the Buffalo Creek watershed in Logan County (see Figure 1-1) failed a minute or so before 8 a.m. February 26, 1972, causing the sudden release of 17.6 million cubic feet of water (132 million gallons) onto the Buffalo Creek Valley floor.
Who was the judge in the Buffalo Creek disaster?
Pittston class action by now-Judge Phillip Gaujot on behalf of 348 children not in the Prince lawsuit filed in federal district court.
Where was the Buffalo Creek case filed?
Buffalo Creek Dam (West Virginia, 1972)
What happened in Buffalo Creek 1972?
Buffalo Creek Mine Disaster: Feb. Three coal waste dams in West Virginia failed, killing 125 people and injuring 1,100 more in communities downstream of the dams. Approximately 550 homes were destroyed, and another 900-plus were damaged.
What dam failure caused the greatest loss of life in the US?
After several days of heavy rainfall in May 1889, the South Fork Dam 14 miles upstream of Johnstown in Pennsylvania failed catastrophically. The resulting flood of 1889 killed more than 2,200 people and caused US$17m damage. It is still the worst dam disaster in US history.
What happened to Pittston Coal Company?
Pittston Company lost 2/3 of production. The strike affected production in mines mostly in Virginia, but a few in West Virginia and Kentucky as well. Mine workers and their families engaged in acts of civil disobedience, work stoppage, protests, and rallies.
What dam broke in West Virginia?
The historic Buffalo Creek flood tore through a region often exploited by industry—and stereotyped by outsiders. On the morning of February 26, 1972, the failure of three coal slurry dams let loose a tidal wave of destruction upon the Buffalo Creek hollow in Logan county, West Virginia.