Description

The most serious fatality during the year took place on Monday, February 10th, in the Five Quarter Seam, at the Axwell Park Colliery, Swalwell, when three men were seriously burned, two of whom soon succumbed to their injuries. This mine had always been considered to be one of the safest in the district, and up to the time of the explosion no fire-damp had ever been seen. In fact, until October 1895, safety lamps were unknown in the pit, even for use by the deputies. At that time, however, the main cross cut reached some troubled ground, and the manager thought it desirable to have the morning examination made with safety lamps.

This was done until the Saturday preceding the day of the accident, but no fire-damp had been found.

At this time the section of the roadway was as follows :— and as the coal had been sufficiently proved on the rise side of the "trouble" or "hitch," it was decided to make the road passable for tubs. The men had left their tools in the place on the Saturday, and on the Monday the deputy, one of the deceased, accompanied by two hewers (the latter with naked lights and the former with a safety lamp). went to get them. It was stated at the inquest that the deputy told the other men to keep back until he had made his examination, but, be that as it may, the man with his naked light was there, and there is every reason to suppose that he was on the top of the canch and in advance of the deputy, as his cap was found some little distance on the in-bye side of the canch. Had he not been there it is difficult to see how the gas at A could have been ignited. This, like many of the gas explosions in the district, was due to over-confidence; or one might use a stronger term and say ignorance on the part of the men concerned. Gas had never been seen and therefore it was considered absurd to suppose that such a contingency was possible, although the manager's long experience led him to take precautions which should have suggested to the men the likelihood of the existence of a danger which had hitherto been absent from the mine. The seam is a wet one, otherwise the consequences might have been more disastrous even than they were.

Mines Inspectors Report Entry

Sources

• 1896 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8450), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 20, Accident Number: 93 Where to find this report
• 1896 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8450), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 8 Where to find this report

Researchers

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