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Full Details

Surname
COUSIN
Forename
William Hunter
Day
25
Month
07
Year
1927
Age
31
Occupation
Oversman
Mine/Quarry Name
Valleyfield
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Fife Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Newmills
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
Information from the Mines Inspector's report - 1927: Suffocation by natural gases: At Valleyfield Colliery, Fife, on the 25th July, an oversman and a fireman, who knew there was a large accumulation of gas in a heading, deliberately rushed up the road, which rose 1 in 4, to see whether or not a brattice screen was blocking the air passage. They left their flame safety lamps down in the good air and went amongst the gas by the light of the electric cap lamp, which the oversman carried, in spite of the warning of an elderly bratticeman of long experience who pled with them not to risk going. They were both overcome, and before they could be got out, were dead. Many attempts, at the risk of other lives, were made to get at the men, and the Carnegie Hero Fund recognised these brave attempts which were made.