The 50th anniversary of one of the worst industrial accidents in Michigan history will be marked Saturday.
On December 11, 1971, 22 tradesmen were killed in the Port Huron water tunnel explosion.
Michigan Labourers LiUNA spokesman Paul Zurek tells Sarnia News Today that drillers working on a platform in Lake Huron, had no idea men were working in the tunnel below.
"They were drilling ventilation holes for the tunnel at the same time that they were excavating the tunnel," said Zurek. "When they busted through the ceiling of the tunnel, they had gone through a pocket of methane on their way down and as they went to lunch, the methane gas slowly seeped into the tunnel and filled the four and a half miles of tunnel with methane gas."
Zurek said the poor ventilation and poor communication has been blamed for what happened next.
"When they returned from lunch they had to eject a stuck drill bit, and when they did that, the drill bit hit the ground with such force that it created sparks and ignited the gas in the tunnel."
Zurek said while the ignition was close to the shore, workers were trapped in the tunnel as the gas exploded.
"The workers were kind of like standing in the barrel of a shotgun as this gas ignited and created a compounding combustion that went through the tunnel."
Zurek said the water intake, which is still in operation, supplies fresh water to about four million households in Michigan.
An event is planned Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Fort Gratiot County Park, on Metcalf Road, where a memorial monument is placed.
Community members who were impacted by the tragedy and the general public are invited.