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Full Details

Surname
CHALMERS
Forename
John
Day
11
Month
04
Year
1922
Age
21
Occupation
Miner
Mine/Quarry Name
Viewpark, No.1 Pit
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Robert Addie & Sons Collieries Ltd
Location
Viewpark
County
Lanarkshire
Details of Event
11 April 1922: Serious Explosion At Uddingston Colliery – Through a serious explosion caused by the bursting of an electrical machine in the eastern section of the splint coal seam in Robert Addie and Sons' Viewpark Colliery, Uddingston, on Tuesday morning, eleven men were seriously injured, seven of whom so seriously that they were removed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary in ambulance waggons. Twelve men were at work in the section at the time and one named Samuel Wilson, 17 Watson Street, Uddingston, had a miraculous escape, having just gone for extra rails and clear of the section when the explosion occurred. The two Lynchs, who were working the machine at the moment, and Andrew Martin, are badly hurt, and latest inquiries show that they are in a precarious condition. The following is a list of the injured:- Joseph Lynch, machineman, 315 Baltic Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, burned on face and body; Bernard Finnegan or Lynch, machineman, 315 Baltic Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, burned on arms and neck, Andrew Martin, Copeland Terrace, Uddingston, burns on face and body; John Chalmers, Rowan Terrace, Uddingston, burns on face and body; John Thomson, Porterswell, Uddingston, burns on face and hands. The following were removed home:- James Davidson, Deanbrae Street, Uddingston; Patrick Darroch, Clova Terrace, Uddingston; William Sutherland, Viewpark Rows, Uddingston; Patrick McKenna, Thorniewood Rows, Uddingston. At the time of our representative visiting the colliery on Tuesday afternoon the mines inspector and general manager were on the spot making the necessary investigations as to the cause of the accident. The entire body of miners employed at Viewpark Colliery were picketted on Wednesday and remained idle as a protest against the action of the management in not stopping the colliery immediately after the accident took place on Tuesday. John Chalmers, 21, unmarried and residing with his mother at Rowan Terrace, Old Glasgow Road, Uddingston, and who was seriously burned and gassed in the explosion, died in Glasgow Royal Infirmary on Thursday morning. Deceased had just recently returned from South Africa. His father was killed in Hamilton Palace Colliery about 3 years ago. Andrew Martin 46, married and residing at 44 Copeland Terrace, Uddingston, also died in Glasgow Royal Infirmary on Thursday morning. Deceased leaves a widow and two daughters, aged 17 and 15 respectively. [Hamilton Advertiser 15 April 1922] Uddingston – Viewpark Explosion – The funeral of the two victims of the Viewpark Explosion which occurred on 11th inst., took place on Saturday afternoon, the mourners gathering in the residence of John Chalmers, at Rowan Terrace, Old Glasgow Road, and proceeding to the home of Andrew Martin at Copeland Terrace, formed into procession – close on 250 following the remains to their last resting place in Bothwell Park Cemetery. [Hamilton Advertiser 22 April 1922] The Fatal Explosion At An Uddingston Colliery – Inquiry At Hamilton – Sheriff Shennan and a jury conducted an inquiry at Hamilton on Saturday into the deaths of Andrew Martin, miner, 43 Spindlehowe Road, Uddingston, and John Chalmers, miner, Rowan Terrace, Old Glasgow Road, Uddingston, who met their deaths as the result of injuries received in an explosion in No.1 Pit in Viewpark colliery, Uddingston, on April 11. Evidence was led to show that this explosion occurred at an electrical coal cutter in the splint coal seam of the pit, and it was shown from the books of the colliery that gas had been found in this section previously. It was also stated that complaints with regard to this coal cutter had been made, and that the machine had been repaired by the colliery electrician, who stated that it was in good order prior to the explosion. After the explosion the machine was found to be without certain studs and bolts, which, in defence, it was admitted made the machine not flame-proof. At the close of the evidence. Mr Robert Smillie, in addressing the Court agreed with the Sheriff that there was nothing to warrant anything other than an open verdict. He pointed out, however , the danger of working electrical coal cutting machines in seams where gas had been found, and said that this was not the law in England. In such seams the really safe course was for such machines to be worked by compressed air. He thought a good service would be done if the miners' organisation drew attention to this particular cause of danger which arises in this connection. The jury returned an open verdict, and stated that the evidence did not warrant a finding on the question of negligence. [Scotsman 22 May 1922]