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Full Details

Surname
MILLER
Forename
James
Day
02
Month
02
Year
1926
Age
Occupation
Mine/Quarry Name
Mary Pit
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Fife Coal Co. Ltd
Location
Lochore
County
Fifeshire
Details of Event
2 February 1926: Fife Pit Explosion - One Man Killed - Two Injured - One man was killed and two injured (one severely) by an explosion on the surface at the Mary pit, Lochore, belonging to the Fife Coal Company (Ltd) The journal boxes and main origins shaft in the engine-house were being cleaned and examined. The workmen were using naphtha for cleaning purposes, and it is thought that the naphtha gases had accumulated in the wheel-guard recess. The men were using a light for examination, when a loud explosion took place. The roof of the engine-house was blown off. Peter King, residing at Lochgelly, was killed. His body was discovered between the drums of the winding engine and the floor. James Miller, engineer, Crosshill, Glencraig, was removed to his home in the ambulance, waggon, while the third man, Leitch, although also suffering severely, was able to walk to his home at Lochore. [Scotsman 3 February 1926] Inspectors of Mines' Report - 1926: On surface -One of the other surface accidents classed as "Miscellaneous" is worth notice. It occurred at Lochore Colliery, No.2 Pit, Fife, where naphtha instead of paraffin oil was being used by two fitters to clean dirt from a bearing in a closed gear-case at an electric winder, when, on one of the two fitters striking a match to view the bearing, an explosion took place which burst the case, killed one of the men and injured the other and the winding engineman.