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March, 1937
The Gresford Reports
We give a précis of the Reports by Sir Henry Walker, Mr. John Brass and Mr. Joseph Jones on the Explosion at Gresford Colliery *
The Gresford Colliery, owned by the United Westminster & Wrexham Collieries Limited, is situated near the village of Gresford, about two and a half miles north of Wrexham, Denbighshire. The mine has two shafts, namely: the downcast known as the "Dennis," and the upcast known as the "Martin." Coal was wound at the Dennis, and materials sent down the Martin shaft. Men were lowered and raised in both shafts.
The explosion occurred about 2 a.m. on Saturday, September 22, 1934, in the Dennis Section of the mine (see Fig. 1) and its effects were limited to that Section, though the concussion was felt at the pit bottom and in the Slant District. Except for a few persons working near the pit bottom and one Deputy and five men who managed to escape from 29's District, all the men who were employed in the Section at the time lost their lives. In addition, three members of a rescue brigade lost their lives the same day in attempted recovery operations.
Fire followed the explosion, and more particularly an extensive fire in the main intake airway at 29's Turn, which was fought continuously but unavailingly until the evening of the following day, by which time it was certain that all men not accounted for must be dead and the conditions as regards the presence of inflammable gas had become imminently dangerous. It was accordingly decided by the representatives of the Owners, Workmen and Inspectors that the mine must be sealed off at the tops of the two shafts, and this was done.
Further explosions occurred in the mine and at 1.25 p.m. on Tuesday, September 25, one of them wrecked the sealing of the downcast shaft and a surface worker was killed by the projected debris. This brought the total loss of life up to 265, making this the worst disaster in British coal mining since the explosion at Senghenydd Colliery in 1913. So far, only 11 of the bodies have been recovered; the cause of death in each case was poisoning by carbon monoxide.
It was not considered safe to commence any recovery operations until about six months after the shafts were sealed; and then, by difficult and arduous operations, the shafts and the shaft bottom were recovered, and later, the Dennis Section was sealed off by a system of stoppings in the main and other roads leading into it. That is still the position, and no examination or inspection of the Dennis Section has been possible except for exploration along the main Martin return and thence to the top of 142's Deep by men wearing self-contained breathing apparatus.
The Dennis Section of the Main Seam in which the explosion occurred comprised five Districts, each worked on the longwall system and known respectively, as 20's, 61's, 109's (including 95's), 14's and 29's — see Fig. 1; and in this. section about 280 persons were employed on the day shift, 240 on the afternoon shift, and 195 on the night shift.
Drawings accompanying the article
Article reproduced from a copy of the magazine held at National Mining Museum Scotland, Newtongrange, Midlothian.
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