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	Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	13th October 1891
Colliery:	Backworth, C Pit
Company:	Owners of Backworth and West Cramlington Collieries
Cause:	Explosion of gas
Lives Lost:	1
Category:

No. 46 on the list occurred on the 13th October, in the "C" Pit, Backworth Colliery, with the result that a pony putter, William Wier, was so severely injured that he died four days afterwards. Two hewers also suffered from the effects of the after-damp. This seam (Main) has been worked with naked lights, and gas was rarely, if ever, seen, and on the day in question the deceased was going in-bye along the main intake, and as he was getting over the side of the tub some gas that that been lodging in a hole in the roof fired at his naked light. A close inspection of the whole of the district was subsequently made, but no trace of gas was discovered, and as there were no old workings in the vicinity of the place it is difficult to account for the accumulation. There had been a sudden and heavy fall in the barometer, and it is possible that the presence of the gas may have been due to this cause, but if that be the correct explanation, it may be said, why have not similar occurrences taken place on previous occasions when the barometer has acted in a like manner. The probability is that fire-damp had accumulated in such places on previous occasions, but that it has cleared away before the next examination, and in the meantime no light was been brought sufficiently near to ignite it. Such an accident demonstrates the necessity of making frequent examinations of similar places.

Source:

1891 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6625), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 8 Where to find this report

	Weir, William (died: 17 Oct 1891) , aged 18, Putter, in jumping on to his tub on the main rolleyway his candle ignited some gas which was lying in a small hole in the roof [Inspection made & Inquest attended]
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