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George Irving
| Age: | |
| Died: | 2nd Feb 1916 |
| Accident: | 2nd Feb 1916 |
| Born: | |
| Colliery: | Montreal |
| Company: | |
| Occupation: | |
| Notes: | suffocated by firedamp |
| Buried: | [not known] |
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| Description | |
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On the 1st February two hewers were suffocated by firedamp in the Bannock Band Seam at Montreal Colliery, Cumberland. These men were working in a rise place and holed it into a level containing an accumulation of gas; the gas came through into their working place and both men were found lying dead when search was made for them owing to their non-appearance at the usual time for leaving the mine.
The working place and the level referred to were ventilated by means of compressed air conveyed through 1½inch to 3-inch pipes. There is little doubt that the level contained an accumulation of gas which under the peculiar circumstances attending the method of ventilation, and there being more leakage in the one place than the other, was under a certain amount of pressure. The holing was made near the bottom of the seam and the place was fouled so quickly that the two men were unable to get away although both had apparently attempted to do so. The level had not been inspected for several days, if not weeks, and the excuse given for this was that it was "permanently abandoned." Unfortunately, too, when the men were brought into fresh air, little if any attempt was made towards resuscitating them. It was foolishly taken for granted that both were dead.
At the Coroner's Inquest held on the accident the Jury, after returning a verdict that the deceased were accidentally killed, said that " while they did not consider anyone criminally responsible, they thought due precaution was not taken to keep the level free from gas. They also considered that it was a pity the deputies had no ambulance knowledge." The two deputies in charge of the district who had not inspected the level referred to were prosecuted by the Colliery Company under Section 64 of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, and were each convicted and fined £3.
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| Related Articles | |
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| Pub. Date | Article (Newspaper) |
|---|---|
| 03 Feb 1916 | Stirling Montreal Mine, Two Men Found Dead In A Mine (Whitehaven News) |
| 10 Feb 1916 | Two Men Found Dead In A Mine (Whitehaven News) |
| 17 Feb 1916 | The Montreal Pit Fatality, Adjourned Inquest At Cleator Moor (Whitehaven News) |
| 09 Mar 1916 | Sequel To Mining Fatality, Deputies Prosecuted (Whitehaven News) |
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| Sources | |
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- 1916 Mines Inspectors Report
- Information supplied by West Cumbria Mines Research
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| Researchers | |
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