On the night of June 8th, 1917, employees of the Granite Mountain Mine in Butte, Montana descended to the 2400 level to inspect an electrical cable that had fallen loose while being strung by a crew on an earlier shift. Not initially recognized as an item of major concern, the cable was was left in disrepair until the following day.
Having initially been compromised, the protective sheathing of the cable broke open and the wires frayed as they chafed against the rocks and timbers of the mine during the 24 hours it was left untended. When Ernest Sullau, the assistant foreman, inspected the cable the following he morning, he accidentally touched his hand-held carbide lamp to the uncovered paraffin paper wrapping, and the cable caught fire.
Sullau literally lit the fuse that ignited a powder keg.
The tragedy was further compounded because the Granite Mountain mine was extremely well-ventilated thus allowing the flames and smoke to spread quickly. Ultimately, the fire and deadly smoke fanned through the stopes and shafts to other connecting mines including the Speculator, killing 168 men.
The fire was the deadliest disaster in metal mining history.
Following the North Butte Mining Company disaster, many shareholders signed their stock over to the families who had lost husbands and fathers in the accident. Still more voluntarily relinquished their shares altogether not wanting to have anything to do with the possibility of making money in a venture where such a tragedy had occurred.
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