Walbottle Colliery Wellington Pit Explosion – Walbottle – 1816

WALBOTTLE. Wellington Pit. Walbottle, Durham. 28th. April 1816.

According to reports, “the explosion raged with terrific fury through the excavations to a distance of two hundred yards in one continued flame.” The workmen made their escaped through the Blutcher Pit with the exception of thirteen men and eleven boys who died and were found dreadfully burned and scorched.

REFERENCES
Annals of Coal Mining. Galloway, Vol. 1 p.404.
Holmes’ Coale Mines. p.213.
Richardson’s Table Book. iii, p.163.
Select Committee on Accidents in Coal Mines 1852-3.
Durham Advertiser.
Newcastle Chronicle.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.