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The Buffalo Creek Disaster by Gerald M. Stern
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The Buffalo Creek Disaster

How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coal-mining history brought suit against the coal company--and won

Gerald M. Stern

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group · 2008-05-06

The Buffalo Creek Disaster: How the survivors of one of the worst disasters in coal-mining history brought suit against the coal company--and won

Social ScienceTechnologyHistoryAdventureBusiness

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Who It's For

  • Good for readers who enjoy Social Science
  • Good for readers interested in history
  • Strong fit for readers who prefer grounded, real-world context.

What You Get

  • Themes: History, Adventure, Business.
  • Reading lane: Social Science and Technology.
  • Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.

About This Book

The "suspenseful and completely absorbing story" ( San Francisco Chronicle ) of how survivors of the worst coal-mining disaster in history triumphed over corporate irresponsibility—written by the young lawyer who took on their case and won. One Saturday morning in February 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the Pittston Coal Company burst, sending a 130 million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of water, sludge, and debris crashing into southern West Virginia's Buffalo Creek hollow....

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The "suspenseful and completely absorbing story" ( San Francisco Chronicle ) of how survivors of the worst coal-mining disaster in history triumphed over corporate irresponsibility—written by the young lawyer who took on their case and won. One Saturday morning in February 1972, an impoundment dam owned by the Pittston Coal Company burst, sending a 130 million gallon, 25 foot tidal wave of water, sludge, and debris crashing into southern West Virginia's Buffalo Creek hollow. It was one of the deadliest floods in U.S. history. 125 people were killed instantly, more than 1,000 were injured, and over 4,000 were suddenly homeless. Instead of accepting the small settlements offered by the coal company's insurance offices, a few hundred of the survivors banded together to sue.