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Full Details

Surname
HORNER
Forename
John
Day
01
Month
10
Year
1906
Age
17
Occupation
Drawer
Mine/Quarry Name
Carberry
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Edinburgh Collieries Co. Ltd
Location
Whitecraig
County
Edinburghshire
Details of Event
The shaft is 137 fathoms deep and at 75 fathoms from the surface is a steam pump in the dip side and for expansion a copper pipe was placed some distance above. While the men were descending to their work in the morning an unusual noise was heard in the shaft, and the oversman, thinking a joint had blown signalled to the surface to cut off the steam after which the men were again allowed to descend. The dip cage was loaded with seven persons, and while it was descending it came into contact with something and shortly after a piece of wood followed and a splinter struck deceased, penetrating the skull by the eye, from the effects of which he died next day It was afterwards discovered that the expansion pipe had burst and the force of the steam had displaced a brattice deal opposite, which the cage caught in passing and the oversman made an inspection of the shaft after the explosion before he allowed the men to descend he would have discovered the loose deal.