MAN, W.Va. — The mere mention of the words Buffalo Creek carry a foreboding in all of West Virginia. Friday marked the 49th anniversary of one of the state’s worst disasters which happened along the stream and still lives fresh in the hearts and minds of those who survived.
A coal sludge pond at the head of the hollow, weakened by days of rain, broke in the early morning hours on a Saturday and sent millions of gallons of the thick, black coal slurry downstream. The torrent wiped out more than a dozen small coal mining communities.
Speedy Bevins, a Logan native, was 17 at the time. He told the legendary story of Bill Becker, General Manager of MetroNews Affiliate WVOW Radio who was talking to a friend that morning who lived on Buffalo Creek. According to Bevins it was a friend Becker completely trusted,
“He told Bill something was going on. he said, he was seeing all this water and said, ‘Bill I think the dam has bro—‘ and the phone went dead. Becker played a hunch and got on the radio literally screaming, ‘The dam on Buffalo Creek has broken get out of your house, get out of your house!’ A lot of people just ran up on the hillside in their pajamas and night clothes on a very cold Saturday morning and watched that water sweep away their home,” Bevin said.
Many others never had the chance. The flood caught many who were still asleep who had no idea how much their lives were about to change.
“I lived where I live now and by the grace of God it was within an inch of getting into my house. But a bridge washed out and that caused the water to divert away from my house.,” said Greg Harvey who still lives on Buffalo Creek. “I think the Good Lord above for that, but we lost a lot of neighbors.”
The flood killed 125 people. Their names are etched into a permanent marker along the creek’s bank in Man. Governor Jim Justice was there Friday to lay a wreath on the marker and pay respects.
“At one time there were 5,000 people living in this wonderful hollow. We lost 125 and well over 1,100 were injured. Amazing. Absolutely amazing,” the Governor said.
More than 500 homes were destroyed, thousands were forced to move away and some towns in the path of the storm disappeared and are gone forever.
The owner of the slurry pond, Pittston Coal Company, settled the matter with the state of West Virginia for just over a Million dollars.