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Joseph Hodgson
| Age: | 30 |
| Died: | 28th Sep 1856 |
| Accident: | 28th Sep 1856 |
| Year Born: | abt. 1826 |
| Colliery: | Binchester |
| Company: | |
| Occupation: | Deputy Overman |
| Notes: | explosion of firedamp |
| Buried: | [not known] |
| Category: |
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| Description | |
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The first fatal accident arising from the explosion of firedamp during the past year in this district occurred in the Binchester Pit, near to Byers Green, on the evening of the 28th day of September, resulting in the death of a deputy overman named Joseph Hodgson, aged 30 years, who, together with another deputy overman, had gone to work for the purpose of removing a ventilating stopping, and substituting a door in lieu of it at the point marked c in the accompanying sketch of the workings where it occurred. When the stopping had been taken down, Hodgson had taken a tram, and leaving his partner, had gone in search of some rails or turns along the headway's course E, and down the working or going board to about the point F, where gas appears to have been lodging, and to have exploded at his unprotected light, and caused his death, without injuring his partner. As no gas had previously been observed in this part of the workings, and naked candles only had been employed, even in working away the pillars, which had been commenced at the point marked G, no blame was attached to any person.
The working away of the pillars was, however, discontinued, and will not be resumed with naked lights, but with safety lamps, now that gas has made its appearance. It seems probable that a fall of stone in the goaf had forced gas out, and up the board in the direction of the point marked F. The air stoppings at A and B were blown down, but were quickly replaced after the explosion.
Properly, the door ought to have been fixed before the removal of the stopping C ; but as the removal of the stopping would simply allow a portion of the air to return along the headway's course H, in addition to the portion passing through the goaf and down the board K, and as Hodgson himself was a party concerned in the work, and no gas had been previously detected, it was but a slight oversight, and I think of itself quite insufficient to be the cause of the gas accumulating.
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| Related Articles | |
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| Pub. Date | Article (Newspaper) |
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| 11 Oct 1856 | Fatal Colliery Accident (Newcastle Guardian and Tyne Mercury) |
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| Sources | |
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- 1856 Mines Inspectors Report
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| Researchers | |
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