New Search

Return to Search Results

Full Details

Surname
EDGELL
Forename
John
Day
20
Month
11
Year
1903
Age
34
Occupation
Shotfirer
Mine/Quarry Name
Ratcheugh Quarry
Mineral Worked
Whinstone
Owner
Northumberland Whinstone Co. Ltd
Location
Longhoughton
County
Northumberland
Details of Event
A horizontal hole 7 feet deep had been drilled in the whin rock at the bottom of the quarry (where water collected). It had been fired three times a few days before the accident and the rock displaced worked off. Three or four feet of the hole was left on and on the day of the accident this was charged with about 1lb of fine-grained gunpowder and fired by means of Bickford Smith & Co.'s No.9 double tape sump fuse for use in very wet ground. About half an hour afterwards deceased and his assistant charged the hole a second time with 3lbs. of gunpowder and were stemming it using the wooden end of a wood and upper loader when the charge exploded killing deceased and seriously injuring his assistant. The presumption is that a portion of the fuse from the first shot bad remained smouldering in the hole.