DescriptionCentralia Coal Company belonged to Bell & Zoller Coal & Mining Company. Herbert E. Bell was the president and William P. Young was the vice president. Illinois ranks third in coal production. At the time, four agencies had authority over coal mining; the State of Illinois, the United States Government, the Centralia Coal Company, and the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA). The Centralia No. 5 explosion occurred on March 25, 1947. Upon his appointment in 1941, State Mine Inspector Driscoll O. Scanlan sent inspection reports to the director of the Department of Mines and Minerals ( DMM), Robert M. Medill. The U.S. Bureau of Mines first inspected Centralia No. 5 in September 1942. The findings and recommendations were the same in all reports. Scanlan requested maintenance related to security issues. The U.S. Bureau of Mines report supported his findings. During all this time, nothing has been done. Diagnosis Inspector Scanlan sent reports every three months from 1942 to 1944, repeating his recommendations and adding new ones. He considered Centralia No. 5 to be the worst mine in his district. Coal dust and gases present explosion hazards. Steps can be taken to minimize these concerns. Rock dusting is a method used to locate an explosion. Illinois law requires rock dusting in a very dusty mine. Mr Scanlan was first in line for the miners. He had the power to close the mine and did not do so. He then mentioned that he was afraid of losing his job. It was his responsibility as a public administrator to act. As part of his campaign for governor, Dwight Green promised to enforce mining laws. In 1941, Governor Green appointed Robert Medill director of the Department of Mines and Minerals. The Mining Council drafts the p...... middle of paper...... full report. Before this was done, the mine exploded. Ultimately, the news that broke focused on union campaign contributions and not mine safety. All levels of protection of minors have failed. Every agency responsible for their security had other concerns as a priority. Mr. Scanlan has submitted truthful and honest reports about violations over a long period of time, but has never taken the extra step to enforce the law. State authorities should have acted upon the first reports. Union membership was in jeopardy and yet the union never represented or supported Local 52 when it tried on its own to get state help to settle his grievances. The elected officials and the coal company are motivated by politics and profit. Works CitedStillman, RJ, (2010), Public Administration Concepts and Cases, Boston, Wadsworth Cengage Learning.