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Full Details

Surname
BETTS
Forename
William
Day
09
Month
03
Year
1912
Age
43
Occupation
Labourer
Mine/Quarry Name
Bardon Hill Quarry
Mineral Worked
Granite
Owner
Ellis & Everard
Location
Coalville
County
Leicestershire
Details of Event
Owing to there being no stone in the quarry ready for the breaking mills the deceased and some others had gone into a boiler shed to shelter. A bend in a range of cast-iron steam pipes, 8 inches in internal diameter and 5-8 inch in thickness, into which steam had recently been admitted, suddenly broke immediately below a flange, and the two men were so severely scalded that they succumbed almost immediately afterwards. Mr. Hepplewhite, who investigated the accident, was of opinion that the fracture was due to repeated water-hammer action in conjunction with the stresses set up by sudden expansion caused by the rapidly raising of steam each morning after the boilers had been damped down. A Board of Trade Inquiry was held, and the inspector appeared to be of opinion that it was due to a defective pipe. 2 killed.