George Johnson
| Age: | 22 |
| Died: | 6th Jul 1902 |
| Accident: | 4th Jul 1902 |
| Year Born: | abt. 1880 |
| Colliery: | Woodhorn |
| Company: | Ashington Coal Co., Ltd. |
| Occupation: | Pumper |
| Notes: | severely burnt by an explosion of gas |
| Buried: | [not known] |
| Category: | |
The Woodhorn Colliery explosion occurred at 8.13 p.m. on 4th July in the Low Main seam which lies at a depth of 128 fathoms, and was being worked in the first, or whole working, of the bord and pillar system. The seam has been opened out for about a year. In the adjoining collieries it is worked with naked lights, fire-damp being rarely seen. At Woodhorn safety lamps had been introduced, while forming large pillars near the shafts, but were afterwards taken out. In the formation of a pillar about 44 yards square a place 3 yards wide had been driven 44 yards east, dipping slightly, a cross-cut from it had gone a few yards south-east, and a place to the north, in which the explosion occurred, had gone 37 yards, rising about an inch to the yard; water had been met with in the place going east, and in the cross-cut, and a hand pump was put in to deal with it. Canvas brattice was carried for 65 yards along the place going east and the place going north, or within 17 yards of the face of the latter place; 26 yards of this brattice having been put up on the day of the explosion. The north place was fenced off by a fence a few feet from the turn ; it was stated that this fence was erected, not on account of gas, but because the place was so far before the air the hewer complained of its being warm. The workmen in the mine at the time of the explosion were under the charge of the master shifter, and consisted of stonemen, repairers, pumpers, &c. As was the custom on pay Friday nights, occurring once a fortnight, they descended to their work at 6 p.m., or only one hour after the hewers had left the pit, and two hours earlier than on other nights. It was stated at the inquest that an examination of the workings was made before these men went to their working places on ordinary nights, but not on pay Friday nights as the interval was so short. Johnson went to the pump already mentioned, but some misunderstanding appears to have existed as to where Douglas and Huntley were to work. The master shifter stated he instructed them to work in the cross-cut and not in the north place, which, however, he was not then aware was fenced off. Douglas and Huntley took down the fence in the north place and went into it with naked lights, and an explosion took place, burning them all severely, Johnson died on the 6th July, Douglas on the 10th, and Huntley on the 13th.
The explosion took place before I came to the district, but I attended the adjourned inquest on 30th July, and on 12th August I examined the scene of the explosion. The north place had then been holed and the brattice dispensed with. A small blower or feeder of gas could be heard issuing from the coal on the left side of the place 35 yards from the turn or within 2 yards of the face at the time of the explosion. The coal was then wet, but it was stated that it was dry at the time of the explosion and continued so until the place was holed, and until it became wet the feeder was not heard. Safety lamps have been re-introduced. The jury found that the deceased died from the result of burns accidentally received, but they added the following rider to their verdict. "The jury are of opinion that if the place of accident had been examined before the men went in to work the accident would not have occurred and they think that all places should be examined every night before the men go in. They also recommend that 'Scotch' lamps should be abolished in the colliery." It was not proved at the inquest what was the nature of the open light that ignited the gas, but it was proved that Scotch lamps, often carried in the cap, were used, and were more likely, as being carried higher, to ignite gas next the roof than a candle carried in the hand.
Pub.
Date | Article (Newspaper) |
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| 12 Jul 1902 | Explosion At Woodhorn Colliery, One Killed : Two Injured (Morpeth Herald) |
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Mines Inspectors Report Entry
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