Daily AncestorFiredamp
Firedamp was the flammable gas, mainly methane, found in coal mines; an explosion at Monongah, West Virginia, in 1907 killed 362 miners.
Firedamp gathers in pockets in the coal, especially bituminous coal, and can explode when released. A firedamp explosion can set off a much larger coal dust explosion, and the gases left afterward are called afterdamp.
The Monongah explosion of December 6, 1907, killed 362 miners and has been called the worst mining disaster in American history. Records of such deaths may say mine explosion or explosion of gas.
As seen in a recordCause of death line, state death certificate, 1910s to 1930s
Antonio Rizzo, 23, M, W, Coal miner, Explosion of fire damp
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Daily Ancestor. "Firedamp." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/causes-of-death/firedamp. Last checked 2026-10-10.