At Eppleton Jane Pit, Hetton Colliery, on 7 May, Nicholas Cowie, 43, was working with four or five others repairing and altering the shaft "when a quantity of earth, stones and timber fell upon him. His fellow workmen having laboured hard for two hours to effect his release extracted him alive, and he was taken home, but survived a very short time." Cowie was described as "a peaceable inoffensive man, much esteemed by all who knew him." Cowie had been removing some props when the accident happened, and at the inquest it was said that "On cutting through the first prop the pressure from the roof forced the new timber which had been put in sideways and one of the pieces fell upon the deceased's loins, and forced him to the ground he was got out from under it as soon as possible and removed home, where he died shortly afterwards"