Single Record

Full Details

Surname

STEVINSON

Forename

John Alexander

Day

01

Month

04

Year

1906

Age

53

Occupation

Shifter

Mine/Quarry Name

Cramlington

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Cramlington Coal Co. Ltd

Location

Cramlington

County

Northumberland

Details of Event

This case was somewhat mysterious. A drift, dipping 12 inches per yard, had been driven 98 yards from a point 18 feet heading below the Low Main seam in Atkinson’s district of the Dudley pit, to search for the Beaumont seam. When 98 yards had been driven, a feeder of water was tapped at the face and the drift filled and it stood for three weeks until a pump driven by compressed air, was fitted up to unwater it and deal with the feeder. The pump had, been in operation a fortnight, and the water was lowered 34 yards en the slope, and as is usual in such cases, spine falls of roof and side followed its removal and left the place rather ragged. Deceased, who had met with a blasting accident which had injured one of his eyes, while acting as a deputy six years ago had since been given lighter work and was attending to the pump. He had gone to work at 6 am., and was last seen alive at 10 a.m. when he came to get his bait at a hauling engine not far from the top of the drift. At 2.15 pm the back overman found him lying at the edge of the water with his face in it quite dead, His skull was fractured, some teeth dislocated, and there were abrasions on the left side of his face and neck and his left leg was broken, this fracture being stated by the doctor to be post-mortem as it was bloodless. No stone was upon his body, but some was lying near. His lamp was found extinguished on the floor 2 yards outbye from his body. A screw key for tightening up the suction pipes was near him. The pump was standing, and as the water would rise 3 feet on the slope in an hour, it is probable that when lie received the injuries he fell clear of it, and it afterwards advanced and covered his face. The drift was well ventilated by the exhaust air from the pump. A deputy had examined the place at 6.25 a.m. and at 9.15 a.m.; on the latter occasion deceased was at the pump. The deputy thought seine stone had fallen since his visit. The jury found that death was caused by a fall of stone from the roof or side. The Local Inspectors made no report.