Risehow Colliery is situated at the village of Flimby, which is on the coast of Cumberland and is about two miles to the south of Maryport, near the northern extremity of the coalfield. It has been in production since 1918 and at the time of the explosion produced about 500 tons of coal per day. The numbers of persons employed underground and on the surface were 450 and 140, respectively.

There were two vertical shafts, each sunk to the Lower Three Quarters Seam at a depth of 580 feet. No. 1 Shaft, 14 feet in diameter, was the downcast and was used for the regular winding of men, mineral and supplies. No. 2 Shaft, 13 feet in diameter, was the upcast and was not normally used for winding.

The ventilating current was produced by a Walker exhausting fan on the surface and normally it amounted to about 121,000 cubic feet of air per minute at a water gauge of 4 inches.

Management

The undernoted officials held appointments under Section 1 (1) of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1954, so having the duty of securing the fulfilment of statutory responsibilities of the National Coal Board in regard to the mine, viz:–

The Manager of the mine was Mr. Orion Powell who had been so appointed on 2nd September, 1957, and accordingly had been in post for about twelve weeks previous to the explosion. He was assisted by an Undermanager, Mr. Elisha Lloyd, who had held this position since 1st March, 1955, and who was on holiday on the day of the explosion and also on the three previous days. The person in charge of the mine at the time of the explosion, in accordance with Section 9 of the Mines and Quarries Act, 1954, was Mr. William Heyhurst, an overman of the mine.

Seams Worked

The seams which had been worked during the life of the colliery were, in descending order, as follows :–

Although the mine was situated near the coast, for economic reasons exploitation of the seams had been in the landward area of the take.

The presence of firedamp was considered as a hazard in each of the seams, although none was particularly gassy.

There is record of a previous explosion having occurred at the colliery on 27th June, 1927, when a drifter’s labourer sustained slight bruises caused by an explosion of firedamp due to shotfiring at the face of a rising crossmeasure drift which had just struck a coal seam. Investigation showed that the deputy failed to record a report of his inspection prior to the commencement of work in the shift, that the person who fired the shot was unauthorised and that the shothole had been improperly placed. Legal proceedings were instituted against the Manager and the Undermanager, both of whom were convicted and fined.

Safety Lamps

The use of safety lamps throughout the colliery has always been the practice. Electric cap lamps of the Oldham G.W. type were in general use, and officials were provided with Prestwick Patent Protector Type 6 flame safety lamps for gas-testing purposes. Prestwick Patent Protector SL lamps were issued to selected workmen as firedamp detectors.