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No. 236. It has frequently been my duty, and especially in the case of accidents from falls of ground, to dilate upon the carelessness and recklessness of the persons concerned. In this instance that disagreeable necessity does not arise : the men in charge of the work had apparently done everything that experience and judgment could suggest, and the accident resolves itself into that class, happily rare, against which mere human foresight seems to be unavailing. The facts briefly stated are as follows:

On the 6th July, at the Usworth Colliery, Durham, Michael Cosgrove, chock drawer, was engaged, with others in renewing steel girders on the engine plane landing. They had taken out one of the old girders, but prior to this had carefully put in extra props and stays. At this stage the deputy, John Hodgson, appeared on the scene ; he was making the usual examination of the place when a fall suddenly occurred, canting out about half-a-dozen of the girders, and the two men were buried under the ends, both of them being killed on the spot.

Mines Inspectors Report Entry

Sources

• 1897 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8819), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 11 Where to find this report
• 1897 Mines Inspectors Report (C 8819), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 25, Accident Number: 236 Where to find this report

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