Ed Lewis / Times Leader
On November 27, 1942, a mine subsidence in the town of Pittston, Pennsylvania, caused several families to evacuate their homes. The damages of the properties varied between jammed doors to foundations of properties on the verge of collapsing. Around 75 homes were left without water or gas. Policemen and firemen blocked off the road in case of fires or property damage. Approximately 36 hours later, another subsidence occurred in the same area.
An additional 10 homes were destroyed endangering roughly 40 families. Many of the residents were asleep as the second subsidence came without warning. Individuals became trapped in the debris of their buildings crumbling apart around them during the second subsidence. A third subsidence would come later from the hill section of South Pittston. Local schools had to shut down due to a cave-in. Then, a fourth disturbance would come from Oak Street and South Spring Alley damaging another 10 homes.
A total of 150 building, mostly homes, sustained damages during the four subsidence’s. The Mayor of Pittston has claimed that the Pagnotti Coal Company has made verbal agreements to restore any damaged property caused by the subsidence back to its original condition. It is speculated that the cause of these subsidence was due to over mining of the six main coal mines that undergo the towns local mountains.