Single Record

Full Details

Surname

WESTWATER

Forename

Thomas

Day

27

Month

04

Year

1931

Age

Occupation

Mine/Quarry Name

Minto

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

Lochgelly Iron & Coal Co. Ltd

Location

Lochgelly

County

Fifeshire

Details of Event

27 April 1931: Fife Pit Mishap - An accident, involving thirty-six miners, took place yesterday at Minto Colliery, midway between Lochgelly and Bowhill. Four of the more seriously injured, Alex. M'Lean, Hunter Street, Lochgelly; Wm, Sutherland, Melville Street Lochgelly; Thomas Westwater, South Street, Lochgelly; and George Henderson, Dundonald Park, Cardenden, are now in Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital. The accident happened in a decline known as the Pitcairn Dook between five and six o'clock, when the day-shift workers were going on duty. The men employed in a part of the pit a considerable distance from the landing stage at the pit bottom, are transported to the coal face in trains of trucks, and it was while one of these trains was moving rapidly down the decline that the accident occurred. The train left the rails, and as the trucks capsized men were tossed in all directions. Some were pitched against the roof, others were thrown violently against the walls, while several became jammed among the wreckage and pinned under the upturned trucks. Nearly all the men were rendered unconscious. Those who were less seriously injured and those who had escaped, rushed for help, and in a short time a large rescue party was at work removing the injured from the wreckage. Medical men from the surrounding districts were also on the scene early, and ambulances convoyed the injured to their homes and to the hospital. The pit was completely idle during the remainder of the day. It belongs to the Lochgelly Iron and Coal Company (Ltd) [Scotsman 28 April 1931] Lochgelly Pit Accident - Runaway Bogies - An accident to a train of bogies in which 36 men were involved, took place in Minto Colliery near Lochgelly, early on Monday morning. When the men were starting work for the day, the party were being conveyed in bogies specially used for the purpose down a long decline known as Pitcairn Dook, when it became apparent that something was wrong and the cry “Hold tight boys!” arose. Gathering impetus, the train of bogies dashed on and finally overturned. The men were flung in all directions, and nearly all were rendered unconscious. Those who escaped injury sent out the call for help, and a rescue party was soon at work. On the arrival of medical aid it was found necessary to have four of the injured conveyed to Dunfermline and West Fife Hospital, while the others, whose injuries were of a less serious nature, were taken to their homes. Those taken to hospital were:- Thomas Westwater, 93 South Street, Lochgelly; William Sutherland, 22 Melville Street, Lochgelly; Alex. M'Lean, 2a Hunter Street, Lochgelly; and George Henderson, 2 Dundonald Park, Cardenden. [Dunfermline Journal 2 May 1931]