Single Record

Full Details

Surname

HUMPHREYS

Forename

Isaac

Day

08

Month

07

Year

1907

Age

37

Occupation

Stoneman

Mine/Quarry Name

Seaton Delaval

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Seaton Delaval Coal Co. Ltd

Location

Seaton Delaval

County

Northumberland

Details of Event

Deceased and another stoneman were shooting down top stone at the face of longwall gateways in the North flat of the 2nd South East Narrow Bords district of the Low Main seam of the Hastings pit. The seam is 3 feet thick and is overlaid by 6 inches of ramble, 1 foot 5 inches of black stone and 1 foot of blue metal. They had fired a shot in a gateway, left it to do other work, and then returned to plote the shot and while deceased was using a pinch to bring down loose stones a piece of blue metal, 8.5 feet long, 2 feet broad and 1 foot deep, fell from the upper part of the brow and killed him it was relieved by a back. He was got clear in a quarter of an hour but was then dead. Before commencing to plote the shot they had examined the place and thought it safe and the chargeman was present about 20 minutes before the accident. There was loose timber near at hand but it is not usual to put in timber until the loose stone is all taken down, but owing to the frequency of this class of accident the manager has given instructions that temporary timber most be set on the top of the stones shot down while ploting a shot and until permanent timber can be put in The Local Inspectors reported ‘Found it was a pure accident without negligence on the part of anyone.'