Ask the Record
The official investigation and the enforcement decisions on the explosions of September 23, 2001, answering in their own words.
Type a question in ordinary language. The answer comes from four documents: the MSHA Report of Investigation (December 11, 2002) and the three enforcement decisions of 2005 and 2006, and every answer names the document and page it rests on. The collection holds no civil lawsuits or settlements.
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Terms of Use — Beta Notice and Legal Disclaimer
Ask the Record is currently in beta testing. The accuracy, completeness, and reliability of its responses are not guaranteed.
This automated tool helps readers explore the official investigation report and enforcement decisions concerning the September 23, 2001 explosions at Jim Walter Resources No. 5 Mine in Brookwood, Alabama. It accompanies Fifty-Five Minutes at No. 5.
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The book that grew out of this record: Fifty-Five Minutes at No. 5 on Kindle.
Jim Walter Resources, Inc., No. 5 Mine, aerial view. Photograph from Appendix DD of the MSHA Report of Investigation, December 11, 2002 (public domain).