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Full Details

Surname
FREW
Forename
William
Day
02
Month
10
Year
1938
Age
Occupation
Miner
Mine/Quarry Name
Cadzow
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Bent Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Hamilton
County
Lanarkshire
Details of Event
2 October 1938: Four Miners Rescued - Overcome by Gas in Colliery – Workmates' Brave Efforts - The lives of four miners were endangered by an accumulation of gas at a section of Cadzow Colliery, Hamilton, the property of the Bent colliery Co., yesterday afternoon. The four men who escaped with slight shock and sickness , and were able to walk home, were:- Hugh Loney, Wylie Street; William Frew, Neilsland Drive, Meikle Earnock; James Johnstone, Eddlewood; and Walter Parkinson, Dechmont Street, all of Hamilton. For over an hour there were grave fears that three of the men were trapped, and the Lanarkshire Miners' Rescue Brigade was summoned from Coatbridge. Valiant efforts were made by workmates led by the colliery fireman, John Logan, to reach the three men, but the workmen were driven back by the fumes. The four miners concerned were driving a mine near the main haulage section about noon when a pocket of gas gathered at the entrance to the place where the men were employed. The gas did not penetrate to the actual working place, and remained unnoticed until William Frew went to the main haulage road to obtain a pit prop. He encountered the gas, and immediately became unwell. He managed however, to struggle through to a place with purer air and on recovering gave the alarm to other workmen. Fireman John Logan, on learning that the other men were still engaged near the gas pocket, instructed the Lanarkshire Miners' Rescue Brigade to be summoned, and in the meantime he and other workmen tried to reach the section where Loney, Parkinson and Johnstone were still working. In the interval. Johnstone had noticed that his workmate Frew had not returned, and went to look for him. He also encountered the gas, and was almost overcome, but managed to struggle through to safety. After a short period. Loney and Parkinson made their way to the main haulage road, and became affected by the gas. As they struggled through they were met by the rescue brigade, who assisted them to the pit bottom. Loney, who is an elderly man, was most affected by the fumes. After receiving medical attention, all the men were able to proceed home. [Scotsman 3 October 1938]