New Search

Return to Search Results

Full Details

Surname
ROBERTS
Forename
Edward
Day
05
Month
07
Year
1907
Age
43
Occupation
Gripper
Mine/Quarry Name
Saltwells, No.37
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Earl of Dudley
Location
Cradley
County
Staffordshire
Details of Event
A side of work on inbye side of a rubble or want had been finished on the day prior to the accident and deceased and two loaders had commenced to ‘side line’ on the main haulage road immediately on outbye side of the rubble which was about 50 yards wide. The haulage road was 11 feet wide the roof being supported with steel girders and timber bars apparently at intervals of 2 feet, each girder or bar being carried on props. The place was examined by the overman five minutes before the accident. There were no broken timbers and everything appeared to be safe. The man had filled 18 tubs of coal and had come back about 10 yards from the rubble to shift some empty tubs from the empty to the full road, when a severe bump occurred, and about 50 tons of crushed coal and slack suddenly came down upon them and buried them. The loaders escaped but the others apparently suffocated. The roof was left upstanding near the rubble where they had been at work. A short distance outbye from the fall a brick arch 25 yards in length had been erected a number of years ago to build off a fire which is apparently still burning aid the roof weight appeared to have concentrated at the point where the fall took place. 3 killed.