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	Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	7th October 1776
Colliery:	Ovington's Pit, East Rainton
Company:
Cause:	Killed by gunpowder explosion whilst sinking the pit
Lives Lost:	2
Category:

Explosion which happened October 7, 1776, in sinking Ovington's pit, East Rainton, under circumstances described as follows:

"Michael Smurthwaite having made preparations for a blast in the stone, working downwards or sinking, fastened a rope, called the centre line, in the hole, for the purpose of running a hot iron ring from the top of the pit to a train of gunpowder, and being drawn up from the bottom so as to be considered safe, the ring was run down the line by the other man William Wilson, which caused the explosion and they were both lost. Wilson had gone to work that day for another man whose turn it was."

Source:

Annals of Coal Mining and the Coal Trade by Robert L. Galloway. Published in 1898.

	Smurthwaite, Michael, killed by gunpowder explosion whilst sinking the pit
	Wilson, William, killed by gunpowder explosion whilst sinking the pit
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