Single Record

Full Details

Surname

YOUNG

Forename

Alexander

Day

25

Month

12

Year

1937

Age

Occupation

Miner

Mine/Quarry Name

Earnock, No.1 Pit

Mineral Worked

Coal

Owner

John Watson Ltd

Location

Hamilton

County

Lanarkshire

Details of Event

25 December 1937: Fire In Mine - Seventeen Men Rescued at Burnbank – Progressing Favourably - Fire was still raging underground yesterday at Earnock Colliery, Burnbank, Hamilton, where 17 miners were trapped during Friday night and Saturday morning, and a number rendered unconscious by fumes from smoke and white damp. The section, the Humph Section, was walled off from the remainder of the colliery, and work in the other sections is likely to be resumed today. The miners affected, who are at home, and progressing favourably are:- William Brownlie, Annsfield Street, Eddlewood ; John Murdoch, 12 Guthrie Street, Hamilton ; William Singer, Argyll Buildings, Earnock; Alexander Singer, 12 Gordon Terrace, Burnbank, son of William Singer; Daniel Nelson, Eddlewood Rows, Hamilton; James Hutton, Eddlewood; Archibald Riddell, 9 Annsfield Road, Eddlewood; Allan Smith, Barrack Street, Hamilton; Robert Munro, Earnock; William M'Kinlay, Andrew Easton, Crawford Wilson, James Blair, John Low, all of Earnock, Burnbank; Alexander Young, Albert Buildings, Burnbank; Robert Allan, Station Road, Blantyre; and Harry M'Lean, Eddlewood. The colliery manager, Mr James Young, who gave splendid assistance in the work of rescue, was affected by fumes, but recovered after attention. Hutches Set On Fire - A description of the men's ordeal was given to a reporter by Archibald Riddell, who was taking a rake of hutches down the Humph Section, when a hutch went off the rails. "I warned the motor man." he said, "and he eased the hutches back so that we could get the hutch on to the rail again. Suddenly, there was a flash, and flames burst out. The motor man gave a shout, and ran back to give warning that the electric current should be cut off. By this time one of the hutches was alight, and other hutches quickly caught fire. Sand was rushed down to throw on the hutches, but they continued to burn, and smoke poured down the haulage road." Riddell said he was joined by another man, named Nelson, and on going forward they came across M'Kinlay, an elderly miner. "M'Kinlay was suffering badly from the fumes, and we tried to assist him out but failed. Nelson ran for further assistance, and just then a man named Smith joined me. M'Kinlay kept on saying that we should leave him, and not risk our own lives, but we carried on trying to help until I felt myself being overcome by fumes. I remember No.more, and must have been rescued by the rescue brigade." Danger From Smoke And Fumes - The danger to the miners, the manager of the colliery stated, was caused by the smoke and fumes, which contained a quantity of white damp, swirling down the haulage road to where the men were standing watching the fire and endeavouring to put it out by means of water from hose brought into the section. "I had just gone to the pithead, and when I returned I was told that the smoke and fumes had swept down on the men and that many of them were overcome, and in danger. Six of them managed to stagger out to safety, but the rest were unconscious. The rescue brigade from Coatbridge were sent for, and three teams arrived. The section is nearly two miles from the pit bottom. The rescuers could see the lamps of the men, but the smoke and fumes were so heavy that it was with difficulty they got through to them. The men were brought out, one by one, and oxygen applied. At first I thought seven of them were dead, but they all came round at last." Mr Low, the under manager, was the last man to be brought out, about six o'clock on Saturday morning. It was not until artificial respiration and oxygen had been applied for an hour and a half that he revived. Early arrivals on the scene were Mr Arthur Stoker. Senior Inspector of Mines in the Western Division of Scotland, and Mr Hoyle, Junior Inspector. Mr Hoyle, the manager stated, gave valuable assistance in rescue work, and twice entered the danger zone to rescue a man who was unconscious. The pit was idle on Saturday as a precautionary measure. [Scotsman 27 December 1937] Scottish Pit Fire – Likely to Last Several Days – Miners Idle - Several hundred miners were still idle yesterday as a result of the underground fire which broke out in the Humph Section of Earnock Colliery, Burnbank, Hamilton, last Friday night. A resumption of operations was made at the colliery yesterday, but No.1 Pit, where the fire occurred was still idle. The section involved is sealed up, and tests are being made regularly with a view to finding when the fire is likely to burn itself out. It is believed that several days will elapse before the fire exhausts itself. The fire was caused by a hutch leaving the rails and crashing into an electric cable. The hutch was set on fire, and within a short time the whole section was blazing. While miners were endeavouring to put out the flames, they were overcome by smoke and fumes containing white damp, which swept down the workings. Seventeen miners were rendered unconscious, and were rescued in the nick of time by teams from Coatbridge Rescue Brigade. [Scotsman 28 December 1937] Colliery Fire Sequel - Miner Who was Overcome by Fumes Dies from After-Effects - Another of the miners who, on Christmas Day last, was overcome by fumes in Earnock Colliery, Burnbank, Hamilton, has died. He was Alexander Young, 76 Albert Buildings, Burnbank. It will be recalled that, on Christmas Eve, a fire broke out underground in the colliery. Along with others Young was endeavouring to put out the flames when he was overcome by fumes containing white damp. He and sixteen others were rescued from the workings . Since then Young was receiving medical attention and had been unable to resume work. On Friday he was taken to Udston Hospital, where he died from an attack of pneumonia. About a month ago, the undermanager at the colliery, John Lowe, who was also affected by the fumes passed away. Young was married, and is survived by his widow and family. [7 March 1938] John Lowe died 2 January 1938 Alexander Brown Young died 6 March 1938