Single Record

Full Details

Details of Event: A section of Ell Coal had been reached by a stone mine driven upwards from the Main Coal and a place bad been driven in the Eli Coal to a small blind pit put up from the Main Coal on the vees of a trouble so as to provide two airways. While driving the stone mine and the place in the Ell Coal a current of air was carried forward by brattice but the current was so feeble that when driving in the Ell Coal it had to be assisted by means of a hand fan and wood rhones or air boxes home trouble had been experienced with firedamp in the Eli Coal. The connection with the blind pit had been completed before the accident but notwithstanding this on the day of the accident gas was found in the Ell coal and no miners were allowed to work in it. The three deceased and another man who was injured were engaged trying to remove the gas. The injured man was working the band fan and the fireman had gone forward with a Davy safety lamp to see if the connection with the blind pit was open and the manager and oversman were near the foot of the stone mine when a somewhat violent explosion occurred coming from where the fireman was. The fireman's body was found near the blind pit and the bottom of his safety lamp was found some yards further out. The gauze was not found. The place in the Ell Coal was dry and rather dusty. 3 killed.