No injured cavers recorded.
November 8, 1980 On the night of November 7-8 two couples went to have a party in Kingston Saltpeter Cave near Cartersville. Bartow County, Georgia. One boy was 22, the other 16, and the girls were 16. They entered the cave at 1:00 a.m. on the 8th, set up a camp and lit a fire with wood and Duraflame logs. They drank some beer, smoked some pot, and then went to sleep. When they woke up they saw how bad the smoke was and realized they should get out. They were disoriented however, and by mistake headed deeper into the cave. The 16 year-old boy was overcome by the fumes shortly after. That same day, Joel Sneed, Jim Henry, Jay Henry and Larry Blair visited Kingston Saltpeter Cave on project work. They were aware that locals like to camp inside and that their campfires usually create a smoky atmosphere. On this day the smoke was particularly thick and acrid. Another group, a boy's club, arrived at that time so the cavers talked to them, advising their leaders to wait until the smoke cleared up. At a.m. Jay Henry and Blair headed for their project work in one area of the cave while Sneed and Joel Henry went to extinguish the fire if it was still burning. They headed for the area where most people camp. The smoke became thicker as they moved in this direction and soon they came upon abandoned items - two women's pocketbooks, two spread blankets and some 6-packs of beer. At this point the smoke was so thick that a Wheat lamp beam penetrated only six feet. Sneed's carbide lamp was of little use. It was apparent that someone was in the cave and possibly in trouble. A car was parked outside but had no note on it. They went on. A short distance further into the cave they found the four young people equipped with flashlights which were barely working. One was lying unconscious on the floor with a girl kneeling over him and the other two were standing nearby, disoriented. Henry and Sneed determined the best way out and began carrying the boy after checking for injuries. The boy's companions didn't offer to help and followed along as if stunned. When they got to a point where these companions could find their own way, they took off as if desperate to get out. Henry and Sneed yelled to the departing boy to tell Larry Blair to come and help and to bring a Coleman lantern. The boy did run into Blair but just said that the others needed the lantern, then headed out. Jay Henry went in with the lantern then had to come back to get Blair. The four of them carried the boy up the 200 foot steep incline to the cave entrance. Blair took Henry's water bottle and went back to get the victims' possessions and put out the fire. Blair used a wet bandana over his face to go back in. Outside, the unconscious boy came around enough to say a few words. The cavers stopped his companions from giving him water. The companions refused a doctor and had the cavers put the sick boy in the car and they left. The cavers were "totally spent" and experienced headaches for awhile afterward.
REFERENCE: Larry Blair Personal Communication February 8. 1981.
ANALYSIS: The rescuers may have been in danger. It is difficult to realize a truly dangerous oxygen or carbon dioxide level before one is overcome. Probably the acceptability, health-wise, for having a fire in a cave would depend on the ventilation of the particular cave. For the benefit of the ecology of the cave it would be best to keep all fires outside.
This record was last updated on 27th Apr 2024 at 23:11 UTC.