Fairmont State University has partnered with Brazilian movie producer Andreza Araújo to host the U.S. premiere of “A Day to Remember”, a safety documentary about the Farmington No. 9 mining disaster. Originally slated for June, the event has been moved to November 17 to coincide with the annual memorial.
The Farmington No. 9 Mine explosion happened at approximately 5:30 a.m. on November 20, 1968, at the Consol No. 9 coal mine north of Farmington and Mannington, West Virginia. Seventy-eight miners died in the disaster, when a series of explosions ripped through the Consolidation Coal Company’s No. 9 mine.
This disaster was a catalyst for the passage of major changes in U.S. mining safety law. As a result of the disaster, Congress passed the 1969 Coal Mine Safety and Health Act. This law strengthened safety standards, increased Federal mine inspections, and gave coal miners specific safety and health rights, among other changes.
The disaster has been remembered yearly in an annual ceremony commemorating the miners and pushing for continued mine safety. The annual ceremony takes place on the Sunday in November that falls closest to November 20, the anniversary of the explosion.
The film will premiere on Monday, November 17 at 6 p.m. in Colebank Hall, on the campus of Fairmont State University. Following the film, a live Q&A will be held, followed by a reception. The event is free to attend and is open to the public.
Additional event details will be released this fall. The trailer for the English version can be viewed online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfCMDPKn2Xk.
