Last man out after 1958 Springhill mine disaster dead at 95

The last man to emerge from the ground after the 1958 Springhillmining disaster has died at age 95.

An obituaryposted Sunday forHerbert Pepperdinestatedthe former coal minerdied Friday in hospital inSpringhill, N.S.

"He was just a treasure to the community. He started working in the mines when he was 14 years old and even after '58, after he was trapped eight-and-a-half days, he works 10 moreyears in the last working mine that was in Springhill," said TonySomers, a tour guide at theSpringhillMiners Museum.

The disaster, known as the bump (like an underground earthquake),occurred Oct. 23, 1958. There were 175men in the mine at the time; 75 of them were killed.

WhilePepperdinewould occasionally talk about the 1958 disaster,Somerssaid it wasn't something he enjoyed.

In a 2008 interview with CBC News, Pepperdinerecalled what happened leading up to the bump.

"There was a bang in me ears it threw me back quite a ways, my face blew up like a balloon," Pepperdine told CBCNews "And you couldn't see nothing for stone dust, your light shone through just like a fog."

He sat in the dark for more than eight days without food or water, with the stench of corpses hanging in the air.

"Ididn't think I would last it, Iwas pretty well gone," Pepperdinesaid."Ithought we all had the biscuit but Iwas laying there and Ithink the eighth day or so Iseen this bright light in my eyes one of the rescue men."

A love of mining

ButPepperdine always talkedabout how much he loved working in the mines, Somers said.

"He loved the brotherhood, the friendships they would form underground. Miners had a special brotherhood and friendship among them. They felt so comfortable underground," he said.

"In 2008, he did an interview and he said he would go back underground today."

Somers said Pepperdineused to come to the museum often and would tell stories about his time working in the mines.

"He's just one of the toughest men and strongest and bravest and great sense of humour. Just always making faces at kids to make them laugh. IfSpringhillhad a JimCarrey, it would be Herb with the faces he would make," he said.

Somers said themuseum willhonour Pepperdine by continuing to share his story during tours.

Live from the Springhill mine pit head in 1958

66 years ago

Duration 28:03

CBC-TV broadcasts live from the site of the 1958 Springhill mine explosion, where rescuers are moments away from freeing 12 trapped miners. Aired on CBC's Close-Up on Oct. 29, 1958.

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