HARRATON COLLIERY. Row Pit. Harraton, Durham. 29th. November, 1808.
The pit exploded with the loss of more than four lives. A report at the time gave an account of the explosion:
An accident happened to the machinery of the 6th Pit, sixteen men and boys set out to travel through the old workings to the Row Pit, carrying a torch, or low rope, to light their way. They wandered in the vicinity of a pair of dams, which shut off a considerable tract of the workings charged with firedamp, an accumulation of gas has taken place in consequence of leakage through the dams, which were not provided with a relieving pipe, an explosion ensued. Such of the party as were lightly injured succeeded in finding their way to the Row Pit, but the greater number, being the more seriously burnt or injured, were left to their fate.
The leakage of gas continued to supply fuel for several successive explosions, at lengthened intervals, which were felt at the top of the pit, though half a mile distant. as soon as they seemed to have subsided, the overmen and others went down in search of the unfortunate people, some of whom were dead, others grievously burnt but scarcely had they reached the vicinity of the dams when another unexpected explosion took place, which killed the overman and his two companions, fire having existed all along the dams. Next day, a considerable party penetrated to the spot, and recovered all the bodies but one (that of a boy) which, however, was found the day after. Some of the bodies were very little burnt. The coal, being thought to be set on fire, the pits were closed up for about seven weeks and on the workings being examined subsequently by the light of steel mills, to the surprise of the explorers, a pony was found alive.
Thomas Defty, overman was reported to have been killed along with three others and fourteen burnt, some of which may have not survived.
REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway, Vol. 1, p. 400.
Transactions of the Historical Society of Northumberland, Vol. i, p. 241-3.
Winning and Working. Dunn, 2nd. ed, p.188.
Newcastle Courant.
Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.
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