On this day in labor history the year was 1972, marking the day of the Buffalo Creek Flood in West Virginia.
The Pittson Coal Company’s coal waste impoundment dam failed during heavy rain causing more than 130 million gallons of water and coal waste to flood the valley below.
Shirley Marcum of Lundale, described what happened, “The only warning we had was just a neighbor woman had spotted it and just pulled in front of our house, and hollered, ‘Run! The dam has broken!’”
The flood killed 125 people, including some whole families. Seven bodies, six of them children, were never found.
he flood caused some $50 million in damages and 4,000 residents lost their homes.
Government officials suggested building 750 units of public housing for those affected.
Only 17 homes and 90 apartments were ever built.
The Pittson Coal Company declared the disaster an “act of God.”
Three separate investigating commissions disagreed and found the coal company responsible.
They found that Pittson Coal Company had disregarded safety practices.
Even though the company was to blame for the disaster they were never faced criminal charges and never served a day behind bars for what the Citizen's Commission concluded was murdering at least 124 men, women and children
The company did eventually settle civil law suits. After legal fees each family impacted by the flood received only $13,000.
One positive result of the disaster was that West Virginia implement stricter regulations and inspection of coal dams in the state.
This Scott Holstein song “Black Water” commemorates the Buffalo Creek Flood
The lyrics include the lines, “Coal company said God is to Blame, they built the dam but he brought the rain, truth was known throughout the land, never do trust a company man.”
Labor History in 2:00 brought to you by the Illinois Labor History Society and The Rick Smith Show