Eden Colliery

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents

Underground fires. The most serious of these took place in the Hutton seam at Eden Colliery and was caused by a paraffin lamp used for heating the carburettor of an oil engine catching fire. The oil engine was not in regular use, but owing to the breakdown of an electric pump it had been set to work. The oil was supplied from a tank at bank, having a capacity of 320 gallons, through a ¾-inch pipe, and the whole contents ran to the engine and increased the fire. The fire lasted two days and was ultimately put out by firemen from Elswick Works under Captain Simonds, without the aid of any breathing apparatus.

Source: 1910 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 5676)