The Mexican Bishops’ Conference assured the “prayers and solace” of the Catholic Church for the families of miners trapped in coal mines Aug. 3, praying they “may return safe and sound to ...

The Tennessee Coal Mining Company replaced local miners with convicts leased from the state in 1891. It prompted Coal Creek miners to organize and fight back against the system.

A similar coal mine explosion in Iran in 2017 killed 42 people and injured at least 75 others. The mine in Tabas, located about 340 miles from Tehran, is owned and operated by Madanjoo Company.