FULTON HILLS GAZETTE
May 3, 1973
“Quarry Collapse Claims Three Lives in Cawakna”

From the archives. Contributor: Spence Hutchins, Curator of the Fulton Hills Historical Society.

Edith Marell, Staff Reporter

Tragedy struck Cawakna yesterday afternoon when a portion of the Crystal Ridge Quarry suddenly collapsed, killing three workers and injuring five others. The collapse occurred just after noon, as workers were excavating near a fault line previously deemed stable by engineers. Rescue crews worked through the night to recover the bodies and assist the injured.

The quarry, operated by Ridgecrest Mining, has long been a point of contention in Cawakna. The recent push to expand operations had drawn criticism from environmental groups and local residents, particularly members of the Lotsydu Kingdom.

According to preliminary reports, the collapse may have been triggered by vibrations from nearby blasting operations. However, investigators are also considering the possibility of structural flaws within the quarry’s rock formations.

While officials urge calm and patience during the investigation, whispers of a darker explanation are already circulating. By morning, rumors of Dun Maylock involvement had taken hold of the town, fueled not just by the discovery of a bloody handprint on the quarry gate but by another chilling detail:

Shortly before the collapse, workers reported hearing a low, rumbling hum that seemed to reverberate through the earth. “It was like the ground was alive,” said one survivor, still visibly shaken. “It made the hairs on my neck stand up.”

The sound, described as unnatural and unsettling, has long been associated with the Dun Maylock in local folklore. Reports of similar phenomena have preceded several of the group’s alleged acts, adding an eerie layer to their legend.

While some dismiss these accounts as hysteria or coincidence, the combination of the handprint and the unexplained hum has left Cawakna residents convinced that the Dun Maylock’s shadow still looms over Fulton County.

Authorities have declined to comment on the rumors, focusing instead on the technical investigation. Ridgecrest Mining has promised full cooperation with officials and support for the families of the victims.

But in a community steeped in stories of the Dun Maylock’s ominous reach, no amount of reassurance can shake the growing belief that this was no accident.