"Miner Injuries", Way to Die #240, is the sixth death to be featured in "Death: One Size Fits All", which aired on August 29, 2011.
Plot[]
Travis was a mustachioed coal mining foreman that demonstrated the horrible working conditions of the 1920s, reasons why coal miners were lucky if be alive at 35, Travis was too hard on his miners and greedy.
Ben Shearin: Over the past century, in the US alone, there's been... a total of 592... tragic incidents that have taken place inside the mine. Resulting nearly 13,000 fatalities.
Travis cared about only one thing: squeezing more production out of his employees, one of the miners was sick and coughing blood, Travis thought he was sleeping on the job but a miner who was caring him explained that he was sick but Travis complained and decided to do the work himself, he took a pickaxe and started mining and then Travis discovered how dangerous coal mining could be, the miner smelled something and realized it was methane so he helped his sick companion, fled with the other miners and told Travis not to do it but Travis told him not to tell him what to do, hit the rock and a spark from the pick ignited the methane and caused an explosion.
Aria Anne: There's a lot of different toxic gases in mines. There's hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and methane. Methane, at very low concentrations is highly flammable. At between 5 to 15%. Any source of heat, will cause an explosion.
The explosion caused fragments of rock shattered Travis's skull, causing massive hemorrhage and killing him.
Narrator: Travis died from massive hemorrhaging, but no need for a funeral. He is already... 6,000 feet, under.
Transcript[]
(Footages of mining coal and coal factory and shows how coal is mined with machine, ...And Now for Something Serious is playing)
Narrator: Coal, is the big daddy of energy resources. It produces 40% of the world's electricity, and there's 4 times more coal on Earth than oil and gas combined. Nowadays, mining is strictly regulated.
(Back to 1920... [] is playing)
Narrator: But back in the 1920s, labor laws were so lax, a coal miner was lucky to make it to his 35th birthday.
Worker: Let's get her out of here.
([] is playing)
Narrator: Travis, was like most mining foreman of the day:
Travis: HEY! Fill that thing up now and move it.
Narrator: brutally harsh on his workers and greedy.
(Footage of mining in the early 20th century)
Ben Shearin: Over the past century, in the US alone, there have been... a total of 592... tragic incidents that have taken place inside the mine. Resulting in nearly 13,000 fatalities.
(Travis argues, [] is playing)
Narrator: Travis cared about only one thing: squeezing more production out of his employees.
Travis: All of you need to work a little harder.
([] is playing)
Travis: Well... MOVE IT!!
Worker 2: Yes, sir!
(Later, the beard worker coughs blood, [] is playing)
Narrator: And God help you if you got sick.
Travis: Are you nappin on the job?
Worker: He's sick, boss.
Travis: WHAT DO I PAY YOU GUYS FOR?!! Since nobody else can do around here, I'LL DO IT!!! Dammit!
(Travis takes the pickax, [] is playing)
Narrator: That's when Travis discovered just how dangerous coal mining can be.
Worker: (smells) It's methane!
(the other workers immediately evacuate, [] is playing)
Worker: Boss, YOU DON'T WANNA DO THAT!!
Travis: DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO, BOY!!!
(He takes one last, hard swing, then the methane explodes, [] is playing)
Aria Anne: There's a lot of different toxic gases in mines. There's hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and methane. Methane, at very low concentrations is highly flammable. At between 5 to 15%. Any source of heat, will cause an explosion.
(Recap of Methane explosion; CGI showcases, [] is playing)
Narrator: A spark from the pickaxe,
(Sparks connect to the Methane, explodes, burn the skin of the body)
Narrator: ignited a Methane gas pocket. Rock fragments smashed his skull.
(Travis' dead body is shown, [] is playing)
Narrator: Travis died from massive hemorrhaging, but no need for a funeral. He is already... 6,000 feet, under.
Interviewees[]
- Reed Anthony - Travis (lead: intended victim)
- Bob Jay Mills - Coal Miner (Lead)
- Gregg M. Pasterick - Coal Miner who coughed blood (Lead)
- Ben Shearin - Coal Mining Expert
- Mary Ann Arias (a.k.a. "Aria Anne" stage name) - Geologist
Segment Description[]
- "An abusive mining owner is killed when a spark ignites a methane pocket." (Spike TV website -- now Paramount Network website)
- "A man gets a job to mine down underground and dies from a explosion." (Danish Version)
Trivia[]
- On the day that Travis died the Australian Championship Men's tennis occurred in Adelaide. Pat O'Hara Wood beats Ronald Thomas 6-3, 4-6, 6-8, 6-1, 6-3. The US Ladie's Figure skating championship was won by Theresa Weld. The US Men's Figure skating championship was won by Sherwin Badger. The 1st flight from London to South Africa lands (took 1½ months)
Goofs[]
- Continuity: When Travis dies in the explosion, his eyes are open; so do in deathcard. However, in between shots, it shows that Travis' eyes are closed. Likewise, Travis' mouth was closed during his death, whereas in the deathcard, his mouth is seen wide open. (A similar error happens in This Just In...My Chest as well).
Foreign Names[]
- Heridas Bajo Tierra (Wounds Underground) - Latin American Spanish dub
- Heridas Profundas (Deep Wounds) - European Spanish dub
- Zapalony górnik (A keen miner) - Polish dub
- Abgebaut (Dismantled) - German dub
- Umakalitanan Minero (Miner's Condolence) - Lazoran dub
Segment Nicknames[]
- Mine Me, Boss
- Blasted Down Under
- Minefiel-dead
- Mined Out of Business
Gallery[]
