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Full Details

Surname
JOHNSON
Forename
John
Day
26
Month
02
Year
1924
Age
39
Occupation
Miner
Mine/Quarry Name
Blairenbathie
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Fife Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Kelty
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
26 February 1924: Blairenbathie Pit Fatality - A Mysterious Explosion - As the result of injuries he received while at work in Blairenbathie Pit near Kelty on Monday, John Johnson (39), stone miner, lately residing at Adam's terrace Kelty, died in Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital the following day. Johnson who had worked in the Kelty district for almost six months, is survived by a widow and daughter who reside at Loanhead. It appears that the unfortunate man had commenced along with another workman to open a roadway in the pit and he was engaged in cutting through the whinstone when the accident occurred. Holes had been drilled ready for blasting and it is believed that Johnson was either charging the shot or stemming it. John Boyd, Keltyhill, who was a short distance away, heard a terrible explosion and his lamp was blown out. On relighting his lamp he saw Johnson lurching towards the face covered with blood. The injured man was immediately conveyed to hospital but little hope was entertained for his recovery. [Dunfermline Journal 1 March 1924]