This song, being about mining in Montana, could be about any number of mining disasters. There were so many things that could go wrong, including hitting pockets of various gases as well as fires; my great-great (great?) grandfather died mining in Montana when the miners he was with hit a pocket of gas, and while he initially got out, he went back in to try to drag some of the others to safety and was overcome.
This song, being about mining in Montana, could be about any number of mining disasters. There were so many things that could go wrong, including hitting pockets of various gases as well as fires; my great-great (great?) grandfather died mining in Montana when the miners he was with hit a pocket of gas, and while he initially got out, he went back in to try to drag some of the others to safety and was overcome.
So I guess this song has extra meaning for me. :)