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Details of Event: 28 January 1902: Bellshill – Fatal Pit Accident - A colliery accident of a rather serious nature, resulting in the death of one man and serious injury to another, occurred in the Summerlee and Mossend Steel and Coal Company's Hattonrigg Colliery at Bellshill on Tuesday morning. At this colliery a new shank has been sunk, by which all the coal is raised, while sinking operations are at present going on in the old shank to reach lower seams of coal. When the kettle was being lowered in the old shank, it became firmly wedged at the splint coal bottom. The manager, Joseph Laird, along with a pumping engineman named John Duke, commenced extricating the kettle, and when this had been accomplished the kettle came away suddenly, there being some length of slack tow. Duke was precipitated to the bottom of the shank with the kettle and instantaneously killed, one of his legs being torn off. A sinker named Joseph Findlay, at the bottom of the shank was struck by the kettle and sustained severe injuries about the head and body. He was attended to by Dr Service, Mossend, who ordered his removal to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The manager had a miraculous escape of meeting with the same fate as Duke, getting clear of the kettle just in time. Duke, who resided at Pollock Street, Bellshill, was married. Findlay, who is also married, resides at Newarthill. [Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser 1 February 1902]