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Full Details

Surname
SWAN
Forename
Matthew
Day
25
Month
02
Year
1927
Age
Occupation
Machineman
Mine/Quarry Name
Hassockrigg
Mineral Worked
Coal
Owner
Coltness Iron Co. Ltd
Location
Shotts
County
Lanarkshire
Details of Event
Information from the Mines Inspector's report - 1927: Falls of roof: At Hassockrigg Colliery, Lanarkshire, on 25th February, a coal cutting machine which ought to have finished cutting the line of face four hours earlier had cut across the main road end and preparations were being made to have it cut into the corner at the end of the machine run. Brushers had ripped the main road close up during the night, but had left a small overhanging part of stone next the roof. This stone fell and killed one of the machinemen. The assistant agent, the manager, the under-manager and the fireman had been or were all in at the place and there was no evidence that any one of them did more than look at this stone, though they were all anxious about the machine not having finished cutting. Had any one of the officials tested the stone, or had the miner, who was waiting to begin work on the coal, done this, its weakness, which must have been apparent from the look of it would have been revealed, and it would either have been taken down or supported.