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Full Details

Surname
STEWART
Forename
Andrew
Day
28
Month
07
Year
1904
Age
29
Occupation
Labourer
Mine/Quarry Name
Tillyfourie Quarry
Mineral Worked
Granite
Owner
John Fyfe
Location
Tillyfourie
County
Aberdeenshire
Details of Event
Four holes were bored on the top of the rock to a depth of 20ft. and each charged with 6lbs. of gunpowder and being for a shake were lightly tamped. In each hole was placed a detonator attached in the usual way to an electric battery in series and as a precaution against missfires a tap fuse was also inserted into each. On firing only one shot exploded and the fuse and detonator were thrown from the hole of another: the fuse having been replaced in this hole the fuses of the three shots were ignited. After the explosion deceased returned to examine the holes and just as he inserted a rod into one of the holes another explosion occurred and he was fatally injured. Apparently the fuse of the unexploded shot had been burning and it had been pushed down on the charge. The connections to the battery cable appeared to have been defective.