T h e C ry s ta l Va l l e y E c h o Fiercely Independent and Local Since 2003
Vol. 23 Issue No. 2
April, 2026
John Ayala, 40, Continuous Mining Machine Operator
Loren Herbert Mead, 35, Continuous Mining Machine Operator Helper
Kyle Delano Cook, 43, Shuttle Car Operator
Ronald Westley Patch, 34, Crew Foreman
Kelly Bert Green, 25, Foreman
Hugh Pierce Jr., 19, Apprentice Miner
William Eugene Guthrie, 32, Undergound MechanicElectrician
Robert Harold Ragle, 29, Crew Foreman
Richard Allan Lincoln, 22, Experienced Miner
John Arthur Rhodes, 29, Crew Foreman
Daniel Bryan Litwiller, 21, Apprentice Miner
Glen William Sharp, 31, Continuous Mining Machine Operator
Terry E. Lucero, 28, Continuous Mining Machine Operator Helper
Brett James Tucker, 30, Experienced Miner
Thomas Vetter, 24, Experienced Miner April, 2026 marks the 45th anniversary of an explosion at Dutch Creek Mine Number One above Redstone. On April 15th, 1981, the explosion claimed the lives of the fifteen above-named miners. A full story on the accident, the tragedy and the community's response of care, empathy and solidarity begins on Page 3...