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| Date: | 3rd November 1899 |
| Colliery: | Bedlington, A Pit |
| Company: | Bedlington Coal Co., Ltd. |
| Cause: | Explosion of firedamp |
| Lives Lost: | 1 |
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| Description | |
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No. 440. — On November 3rd, an explosion occurred in the Yard Seam, "A" pit, Bedlington Colliery, Northumberland, by which two persons, William Carley, a putter, and Thomas Southern, a driver, were injured, the former to so serious an extent that he succumbed on the 14th of the same month. The particulars of this case are somewhat peculiar, inasmuch as the gas fired in the main intake airway of the district, some 2,200 yards from the shaft. At this point there are four levels which have been continued for a further distance of about 300 yards, but they are now standing. The air passes in along the two lower ones and returns by the two upper ones to a point where they join a cross-heading in which a door is placed, and outside of which the accident occurred. There are no broken workings, I may add, either on the inbye side or for some distance on the outbye side of the cross-heading referred to. After passing the heading the air is directed by means of the door to a long-wall face some 200 yards away, where deceased's father and a few other men were working, and it then returns direct to the upcast shaft. Naked lights were used throughout the whole of the district.
The duties of deceased and his mate were to take the coal from the men engaged at the longwall face to the flat on the outbye side of the door, and this work they had been engaged at from 6.30 a.m. to about 2 p.m. without mishap. It will be seen, therefore, that they would of necessity have to travel to and fro in the return air road between the door and the men's working places.
The circumstances immediately preceding the explosion were as follows :—
William Dunbar, the rolley-way man, had visited the flat about half an hour before the accident occurred and went through the door with his naked light. Everything seemed to be as usual. He then went out along the rolley-way, and shortly after an explosion occurred putting out the lights.
On returning inbye he found the lad Carley, who was burnt, at the flat, and proceeding further, saw that the door was blown down over. He then went to the face and put out the candles of the men who were working and who were at once withdrawn.
They stated that their candles were blown out, but, thinking there had been a fall of roof thereabouts and after waiting a few minutes, relighted the candles and went on with their work.
Southern, the driver, said he came through the door about ten minutes before the deceased, and that immediately the latter closed the door the explosion occurred.
It is difficult to say how any sufficient quantity of gas could have accumulated at this point to blow down the door and brick framework, for there was a good current of air passing, and as there were no cavities of any size in the roof where gas could collect, even had there been any old workings about from which it could exude, one can only come to the conclusion that it has been given in the space between the rolley-way off from the roof (sandstone) and collected and the door near to the roof, and as the boys would keep their lights down when driving, they would, the road being high, be out of reach of the gas. It may be added that the door is opened by the pony and possibly, if it had been going quicker than usual, the extra slam might bring down the gas on to the lamp of the deceased who had just passed through.
One of the witnesses stated that a warning had been given by one of the deputies to a man, whose name he refused to divulge, as to the presence of gas in a certain part of the pit, but it transpired that this took place, if at all, five years ago, and it was further stated by the officials that none had been seen during the last three or four years.
The opinion has been expressed on many occasions that atmospheric pressure has been no inconsiderable factor in certain explosions, and it is therefore worthy of note that on this particular day there was a phenomenal fall in the barometer, which went down as low as 28 inches. This was accompanied by a heavy cyclone from the west, and it is quite possible that some explanation of so unusual an accumulation of gas in this pit may be afforded by the above facts. Be that as it may, there were no traces of gas in any part of the district when I made my inspection, although no effort had been made to restore the ventilation to its normal condition. The district has now been laid off for the time being.
| Source: | 1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. L. Hedley, H.M. Inspector of Mines, Page: 13 Where to find this report |
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| Fatalities | |
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 | Carley, William (died: 14 Nov 1899) , aged 20, Putter & Hewer, explosion of fire damp [Inspection made & inquest attended] |
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