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| Date: | 6th March 1930 |
| Colliery: | Bishop Middleham |
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| Cause: | Explosion |
| Lives Lost: | 1 |
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| Description | |
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An explosion of firedamp caused by a defective safety lamp and failure to observe the requirements of Section 29, Coal Mines Act, 1911, occurred at 11.35 p.m. on March 2nd at the Bishop Middleham Colliery, Co. Durham, in a cross measure drift between the Harvey and Hutton Seams, causing the death of one person and injury to three others.
There are two shafts, the East Upcast and the West Downcast, which were sunk to the Harvey Seam at a depth of 498 feet about 100 years ago when comparatively small areas of the Harvey and Hutton Seams were worked up to the abandonment of the mine in 1874.
Some 20 years ago the Owners of the adjoining Mainsforth Colliery acquired the Bishop Middleham Royalty, and as the Mainsforth workings were approaching the Bishop Middleham shafts it was decided two years ago to use one of the shafts for riding men thus saving two miles of travelling underground.
As the West shaft sides were considerably broken for some distance above the Harvey Seam it was decided to plug the shaft 398 feet from the surface and commence driving drifts from this point to strike the Hutton Seam.
Fig. 1 shows the two drifts "A" and "B" which constituted the whole of the workings since the reopening of the mine. Drift "A" was almost level, and "B" was rising 24ins. per yard.
Permitted explosives were used and fired electrically. There was no coal dust and the mine was naturally wet almost throughout. The number of persons employed underground in the shift on the night of the accident was six.
The ventilation was produced by a small electrically driven double inlet Schiele Fan situated at the surface of the East shaft. The quantity of air produced and in circulation was stated to be between 1,800 and 2,000 cubic feet per minute when the fan was running. The air was conducted to the face of the drift "A" by a 4½in. brick brattice for a distance of 90 yards and then to the face by 12in. ventilating tubes, being boosted by a "venturi" at a point 50 yards or so outbye the face. The ventilation then travelled to the bottom of drift "B" where it was conducted behind a short length of brick brattice and passed to the face of the drift by 12in. tubes, thereafter returning to the East or Upcast shaft.
The Hutton Seam was proved 39 yards up drift "B" on 28th February, 1930, and was fully exposed by the firing of two shots between 6 and 10 p.m. the same day. An inspection of the workings immediately after firing these shots revealed no firedamp and similar conditions are said to have prevailed up to the cessation of work at mid-day on Saturday, 1st March.
When work ceased on Saturday the electric fan was stopped for the week-end in accordance with the custom prevailing at the mine. Natural ventilation, produced by water falling down the East Shaft and which caused a reversal of the air current, was said to ventilate the workings during the week-end.
At 10 p.m. on Sunday, March 2nd, the fan was restarted. At 11 p.m. the deputy accompanied by a workman named Ebden descended the West shaft and commenced to make an examination of the drifts. After inspecting drift "A" he returned to the meeting station at the bottom of the West shaft and admitted into the drift he had examined three men and a putter lad who had descended the shaft during his inspection. He then proceeded in the direction of Drift "B" accompanied by one of the workmen named Spence. Shortly after passing through the separation door at the bottom of Drift "B" an explosion occurred.
The workmen at the face of Drift "A" heard a report and realizing that something was wrong they came outbye to within 60 yards of the shaft, where they found Spence severely burned about the hands. The air was charged with dense fumes but they succeeded eventually in reaching the shaft where they found the deputy and the putter boy who had returned to that spot after the explosion, both suffering from burns and shock. The injured persons were at once raised to the surface and medically attended. The banksman who was standing near the West shaft mouth was blown away from the pit top and received slight injuries. Spence subsequently died.
The explosion was of sufficient force to cause considerable damage to the top of both shafts, whilst belowground doors were blown down and the ventilating arrangements destroyed.
After the accident a Patterson A.1 type oil flame safety lamp was found at the bottom of drift "B." This lamp was proved to be the one used by the deputy. When subsequently tested at the Mines Department Testing Station, Sheffield, it was found defective inasmuch as the magnetic lock was missing leaving a hole which would pass flame.
It was clear from the direction of force, as indicated by the position of tubs, roof supports, brick brattice and separation doors, that the explosion originated at or near the bottom of drift "B," and that the defective lamp was the igniting agent.
The natural ventilation was inadequate to ventilate the drift "B," in fact very little air would reach the face of that drift as it would tend to short circuit through the door at the bottom and pass into drift "A."
As the fan had only been running for a little over an hour when the deputy arrived to make his inspection, it is clear that sufficient time had not elapsed to dilute an accumulation of gas in the drift.
I would again call the attention of Agents, Managers and Undermanagers to the absolute necessity of strictly complying with the requirements of Section 29, Coal Mines Act, 1911, which makes it incumbent on them to see that adequate ventilation is constantly produced.
By your direction proceedings were taken against the Agent and Manager for certain alleged breaches of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, and convictions were recorded.. Particulars of these are given in Appendix I of this report.
| Source: | 1930 Mines Inspectors Report |
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| Fatalities | |
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 | Spence, Joseph (died: 06 Mar 1930) , aged 24, explosion of firedamp, Buried: Rock Road Cemetery, Spennymoor |
All names found | |
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| Newspaper Articles | |
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| 27 Mar 1930 | Painful Scene At Durham Inquest, Injured Miner Collapses In Court (Northern Daily Mail) |
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