No. 26 Colliery Explosion, Glace Bay, 1979 | Museum of
In the early hours of February 24, 1979 mining was progressing as normal in #12 South level (8 km from the surface) in Glace Bays No. 26 mine when a coal shearer hit sandstone. The cut made sparks, in a corner where methane had built up, unchecked. Finding an explosive mixture of gas and oxygen, the spark flamed and exploded the methane.