MARKHAM. Markham, Monmouthshire. 18th. May, 1912.

The colliery was owned by the Markham Steam Coal Company and they were sinking two shafts, 40 yards apart and both 18 feet in diameter. At about 1.40 p.m. an explosion of firedamp in the north Sinking Shaft caused the deaths of five men, four of who were on the surface and injuries to two others, one of whom was on the surface.

Both shafts had reached a depth of 380 yards and a scaffold was hung in the shaft a few feet below the bottom of the lodge room. The shafts was ventilated by a sirocco fan forcing air through 18-inch pipes which stopped at the scaffold with the air current being directed downwards through an opening in the side. No naked lights were allowed in the shaft. There was a notice to that effect and smoking was prohibited. It was not known that there was firedamp in the shaft and up to the time of the accident, none had been encountered.

About three months previously, a chargeman reported that he had seen firedamp in his lamp but when the manager examined directly afterwards, he could detect none. The Inspector, Dr. W.N. Atkinson, commented that it was difficult to test for gas in bright electric light. During the fixing of pump pipes shortly before the explosion, the lamps kept going out. This was thought to have been caused by water or the fact that the lamps were short of oil but in retrospect, it was caused by the presence of gas and in the light of subsequent events, probably they were extinguished firedamp. The bottom of the shaft was at the same horizon above the Elled Seam, where, in other sinkings, much gas was given off. At Bedwelty pits, three and a half miles to the north, a lot of gas was produced in the ground and was piped to the surface and burned. After many years it was still burning.

At the time of the explosion, there were only two men in the shaft, one working on the scaffold and one in the lodge pump. The bottom of the shaft was lit by a cluster of electric lamps suspended about 14 feet above the scaffold and a portable “Fors” electric lamp with a flexible cable which was on the scaffold. Up to one and a quarter hours before the disaster, water was being drawn in a tank that passed through an 8 foot square opening in the scaffold. The tank was on a runner over the top of the pit and at the time of the explosion, three of the victims were on the runner. Another of those killed and some other men were within a few feet of the top of the shaft.

When the explosion occurred, a violent blast came up the shaft which demolished the runner and an adjacent cabin that was near and damaged the iron lattice headgear. The body of one of the victims at the surface was hurled 60 to 70 yards and was badly mutilated. Another was blown 40 yards and one was blown into the headgear and one fell down the shaft. The water tank also fell down the shaft as well as a beam of timber 34 feet long and 18 inches square which had formed part of the framework at the top of the shaft.

Soon after the blast, a chargeman sinker shouted down the shaft and received a reply from one of the men below down the shaft. Steps were taken at once to rescue the men in the shaft. Mr. Wooley, the manger was soon on the scene, and as soon as a rope and bowk were available and after safety lamp had been lowered 80 yards down the shaft and had come up still burning, Mr. Wooley and two sinkers, Bainbridge and Davies, made two attempts to get down the shaft. They were unable to get more than 100 yards as the air was unbreathable and extinguished their lamps. Air pipes in the shaft were also in a dangerous position.

In the meantime, compressed air pipes were sent down which stopped about 9 feet above the lodge room and water sprays had been set to clear the air. A rescue brigade had been sent for and arrived at about 5.30 p.m. with Draeger breathing apparatus under the charge of Mr. A.T. Winborn, the Inspector at Crumlin Rescue Station.

Messrs. Wooley, Winborn, James Leach and Llewellyn Howells donned breathing apparatus and went down in the bowk, taking with the safety lamps and electric lamps. All the safety lamps went out at a depth of about 120 yards and it took them an hour to get down to the pump lodge owing to dangerous obstruction. The scaffold had been completely demolished except for a beam that was swinging dangerously. In the lodge room, they found John Snashall who had been there when the explosion occurred. He was alive but burnt and dazed. The other man had been on the scaffold and had fallen down the shaft. There was some difficulty in getting Snashall into the bowk but the air was quite good due to the compressed air that was being forced down the shaft. For greater freedom, Mr. Wooley took off his helmet and returned to the surface without it. Later another attempt was made but at a depth of 100 yards, the air was found highly charged with firedamp and the descent was abandoned.

Those who lost their lives were:

  • George Jones aged 25 years, mechanic,
  • Michael Carroll aged 33 years, fitter,
  • Albert Leggett aged 24 years, fitter,
  • Thomas Patrick aged 44 years, banksman,
  • George Guntrip aged 27 years, sinker.

When the shaft was examined two days later, it was found to be clear of firedamp nor was there any in the lodge room, but later there was a considerable gas problem in the shaft. It seemed probable that the gas came from a sudden inrush. The means by which it was ignited could only be surmised. A spent match was found on the floor of the lodge room which appeared to be the most probable course but Snashall denied that there was any smoking or striking of matches. The only other possible means of ignition could have been an electric spark. The Fors portable lamp worked off a battery. The cable to the lamps was connected by three pins which could have made a spark if they had accidentally been pulled out, but it was stated that the battery was run down at the time of the explosion.

Messrs. Wooley, Winborn, Leach and Howells were granted Edward Medals for their bravery in rescuing Snashall.

 

REFERENCES
Colliery Guardian, 28th June 1912, p.1298.

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

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