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Full Details

Surname
LAING
Forename
James
Day
05
Month
05
Year
1937
Age
6
Occupation
Banksman
Mine/Quarry Name
Michael
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Wemyss Coal Co. Ltd
Location
East Wemyss
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
5 May 1937: Died After Burn To Arm - Evidence at Kirkcaldy Inquiry – Coaltown of Wemyss Man - A statement that a colliery banksman's death was the sequel to burning injuries to the arm which he had sustained was made at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court yesterday by Dr J. C. Khambatta, East Wemyss, when giving evidence at an inquiry before Sheriff-Substitute Dudley Stuart and a jury, into the death of James Laing (69), 26 South Row, Coaltown of Wemyss. Evidence was given by Laing's widow to the effect that part of her husband's duties in his employment at Michael Colliery, East Wemyss, belonging to the Fife Coal Company, was to remove silt and sediment from the boilers. In February of this year her husband had a small burn on his left arm, and he told her this had happened through his coming into contact with a hot boiler.. On Wednesday, April 21 when he returned home from the night shift, he had a deep burn on his left elbow, and said he had burned it while attending the boilers. He was unable to return to his work, and was attended by Dr Khambatta. On April 30 the colliery officials were notified of a possible claim for compensation, and replied that they knew nothing of the accident. Her husband had told her there was no one there when it happened, and he had not reported it. Later, her husband became seriously ill and died on May 5. Evidence was given by John Scott, boiler fireman, 84 Beatty Crescent, Kirkcaldy, and William Galloway, colliery, manager, Haugh House, East Wemyss, to the effect that Laing had not been observed while at the boilers, but they had been attended to, and this must have been carried out by him. Both witnesses agreed that Laing might have slipped and burned his elbow through coming into contact with some part of the boiler. Dr Khambatta stated that the injuries were very serious for a person of Laing's years, and his death was the sequel to the injuries he sustained. The jury returned a formal verdict. [Scotsman 29 June 1937]