Single Record

Full Details

Surname

SNEDDON

Forename

Charles (Injured)

Day

17

Month

02

Year

1915

Age

Occupation

Miner

Mine/Quarry Name

Bridgeness, No.2 Pit

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Bridgeness Coal Co.

Location

Grangepans

County

Linlithgowshire

Details of Event

17 February 1915: Explosion In A Bo'ness Pit – Five Miners Injured – About half-past seven o'-clock yesterday morning a serious explosion occurred in No.2 pit, Grangepans belonging to the Bridgeness Coal Company, Bo'ness, by which five miners were injured, two of them somewhat seriously. The names of the men and the nature of their injuries are:- Hugh Bell, miner, Craigfoot Terrace, Grangepans -Fractured spine, burns to the head and face, and severe shock. Robert Smellie, fireman, Learmonth's Buildings, Grangepans - General severe burns, and shock. Wm. Meldrum, miner, Fordale Terrace, Carriden – Burns and bruised back. Chas. Sneddon, miner, Cairns Buildings, Grangepans - Burns to back of neck and hands. Richard Robertson, miner, Drysdale Buildings, Corbiehall - Both eyes scorched, and superficial burns to shoulders and arms. A sixth man, named Andrew Lapsley, employed in the mine, escaped uninjured. He resides at Fordale Terrace, Carriden. The men were driving a stone mine from the pit bottom to the smithy coal. Before operations were begun for the day the pit was duly inspected by the official fireman, who reported that the mine was free of noxious or inflammable gases. Soon after the men had started a violent explosion occurred, by the force of which Bell and Meldrum were swept off their feet and thrown against the building. The place was plunged in darkness, and the other men crawled and groped their way to the pit bottom. With all speed the workers there went to the aid of Bell and Meldrum, who were found lying in a serious condition. News of the occurrence spread rapidly, and when the men were brought to the pit head there was a large crowd of people assembled in the vicinity. Sneddon and Robertson were able to walk home, and the other three were attended to by doctors, who saw to their removal to their respective homes. After treatment Bell and Smellie were taken by ambulance to the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh. Saved By A hutch - In the course of an interview Richard Robertson said he was employed as drawer to Chas. Sneddon in the 2-feet coal section, and the other men were about 150 yards away. A shot was fired at the face by Sneddon, and soon after that the explosion occurred. Robertson attributes his escape to the protection afforded him by a hutch which he was pushing at the time. The flames passed over him like a flash of lightning and travelled in the direction of the shaft. Two workers from the pit bottom named James Birnie and J. Sneddon, arrived with two safety lamps and picked up Bell and Smellie. Meldrum was found some time later, and the three men were taken to the pit bottom in hutches, and subsequently taken to the pithead. Chas. Sneddon said he had certainly had a lucky escape, and what saved him considerably was a moleskin waistcoat which he wore. He himself inspected his working place a few minutes before the explosion and found it clear. Suddenly a flash passed over his head, burning him about the neck and hands. The atmosphere was suffocating, and he got out of it as quickly as possible, made for the pit bottom, and told the pit bottomer to go to the aid of the less fortunate men. [Scotsman 18 February 1915] NB Robert Sneddon Smellie, died on 19 February 1915 at the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh Hugh Chalmers Bell, miner, died on 17 September 1915 at the Longmore Hospital for Incurables, Edinburgh