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Full Details

Surname
McMAHON
Forename
John
Day
17
Month
01
Year
1935
Age
Occupation
Mine/Quarry Name
Minto, No.1 Pit
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Lochgelly Coal & Iron Co. Ltd
Location
Lochgelly
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
17 January 1935: Three men were at work in Minto Colliery Lochgelly yesterday, when the ground surged up and crushed them against the roof of the workings. John McMahon of Kinglassie was crushed to death but the others escaped with slight injuries. It is believed that the pressure of the pillars which supported the roof was so intense as to cause the upheaval of the ground. [Scotsman Jan 18 1935] Surging Up of Pit Floor - Inquiry into Fife Fatality – An Unusual Accident - A pit fatality, in which a miner lost his life as the result of the pavement or floor of his working-place surging up and crushing him against the roof, was the subject of an inquiry in Dunfermline Sheriff Court yesterday . The victim was John M'Mahon, miner, Braehead, Kinglassie, and the accident happened on January 17 in the underground workings of No.1 Pit, Minto Colliery, of the Lochgelly Iron and Coal Company (Ltd.). One of the men who were injured in the accident, John Kinnell, 4a Hunter Street, Lochgelly, said that at about one o'clock in the morning he heard a sort of bump, like a shot from a gun. A lot of coal came about him putting out his light and he was injured. When lights were obtained it was found that M'Mahon and another man named Hunter had been caught by the pavement surging up to the roof. Hunter was extricated alive, but M'Mahon was dead when he was taken out. Witness said he had never experienced a similar happening before. George Lamond, underground fireman, Woodend, Cardenden, said he was just approaching the place when he heard a burst of coal coming from the roof, and all the naked lights went out in front of him. The surging up of the pavement was a very unusual thing. He had only once seen it before, and that was in the same section about a fortnight previously. On that occasion the surge was not nearly so heavy, and the pavement did not rise so much. Precautions were taken, and he had not anticipated a recurrence of the trouble. There was abundant timber and the props were in at the proper distances. Walter Black, manager of the Minto Colliery referring to the previous incident mentioned by Lamond, said that the matter was taken up with the Divisional Inspector of Mines. Certain suggestions were made which they were in course of carrying out at the time of the fatal accident but these had not had sufficient time to bear fruit It was a thing that nobody could have foreseen. The jury returned a formal verdict. Sheriff Umpherston remarking that it seemed to have been a unique kind of accident. [Scotsman 15 February 1935]