Thursday marks 54 years since Buffalo Creek flood disaster

The Buffalo Creek Memorial Library hosts a memorial service every year on February 26 to mark the anniversary of the 1972 flood disaster. During that service, the names of all 125 victims are read aloud for all to remember.

Robert Fields | WVOW News

TOWN OF MAN Thursday marks 54 years since the Buffalo Creek flood disaster.

On February 26, 1972, the Pittston Coal Company’s coal slurry dam #3 gave way, flooding the community with millions of gallons of black wastewater. Just four days prior to the disaster, the dam had been graded as “satisfactory” by an inspector.

Out of a population of 5,000 people, 125 were killed, 1,121 were injured and over 4,000 were rendered homeless. The flooding destroyed a total of 507 houses, in addition to 44 mobile homes and 30 businesses.

The Buffalo Creek Memorial Library holds an annual memorial service on the anniversary of the flood.

Isabel Reddy, author of That You Remember

This year, the event will be joined virtually by Isabel Reddy, author of the fictional novel, That You Remember.

According to her website, Reddy was inspired to write her book after seeing a video of a survivor of the flood reading a poem they had written following the disaster. That You Remember is her first novel.

The memorial service gets underway at noon on Thursday at the Buffalo Creek Memorial Library in Man.

PHOTOS | File, Must-Read Fiction Novel | That You Remember