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2. It will be convenient, before considering the evidence as to the explosion, to give a general description of the colliery, a plan of which accompanies this report.
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The colliery is owned by the St. Helen's Colliery Company, and managed by Mr. John Johnston. This gentleman has held a first-class certificate for seven years, and no doubt was suggested as to his capacity for the important post he occupied. The sub-officers were —
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| (b.) |
The total area of the workings is 120 acres. This is divided into three districts. District No. 3 was undoubtedly the seat of the explosion. There are three goaves, having a total area of under I acre, and situated wholly in Districts Nos. 1 and 2. From the shafts to the seat of the explosion is a distance of 1,280 yards.
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| (c.) |
The mine is worked on the pillar and stall system. As a whole the ways are dry and dusty, but not so to any unusual extent. The safety lamp used is the "bonnetted" Clanny, and in no part of the pit are naked lights permitted. The shift commences at 5.30 a.m., and the inspection required by G. R. 4 takes place at 4 a.m. The ventilation, excellent throughout, is by a fan, and there are six splits of the air. The quantity and velocity are material only as regards No. 3 District, and are hereafter treated of.
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| (d.) |
The mine has undoubtedly been subject to "feeders" of gas, but no difficulty has been experienced with standing gas. "Troubles" are numerous, and the seam lies for the most part in shale.
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| (e.) |
There are two shafts about 12 yards distant from each other. Sunk about 1877, these respectively measure in diameter:
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| (f.) |
The explosive used in the mine is compressed blasting powder.
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| (g.) |
The special rules in force in the mine were made under the Act of 1872, the rules under the Act of 1887 not having come into operation.
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3. Such being a general description of the mine it is desirable to more particularly refer to the No. 3 District, which, with a total area of 14½ acres, was the seat of the occurrences leading to the explosion, and undoubtedly the locus whence it derived its destructive force.
4. At a distance of 80 yards from the shaft on the lower level is the engine-house. At right angles to this ("inbye") are the two main travelling roads, the engine dip (being the "intake"), and the "return" dip in length about 700 yards, and with a gradient of 3 inches in the yard. At the foot of these dips the levels rise again, with a gradient of 2 inches in the yard, for a distance of 500 yards, and terminate in a cul-de-sac at the "face." The "intake" here being known as Gilmour's Brow, the "return" as Hogg's Brow. About 70 yards down the latter occurs the return air drift, the ventilation through this last being controlled by "regulators." The main clips are travelling roads worked by a compressed air engine, whilst along the brows horses are employed. The quantity of air in No. 3 District according to the last record in the ventilation book (made up on the 28th March last) was 8,600 cubic feet, with a sectional area of 54 feet.
5. It was not disputed that the seam was productive of explosive gas in some quantity, and all the workings in the upper part of the brows were "bratticed" "chock" up to the face. In some workings, notably in Ditchburns working, standing gas had been detected and the men withdrawn, and this was reported to have occurred in consequence of a disarrangement of the "brattice," on the day previous to the explosion.
The flow of air, however, was at all times sufficient to dilute and disperse such gas.
The practice was for the "hewer" to prepare the shot and leave it for the "firer" to fire in the early morning if he deemed the place safe, otherwise he would leave the shot unfired. It was alleged that shots had frequently been so left. This fact testifies alike to the character of the workings, and to the careful inspection of the deputies.
Some witnesses stated that the care of the deputies was limited to inspection, and that it has been the habit to fire shots in dry and dusty places without watering the dust, but in my opinion this was not established.
6. At the top of Hogg's Brow, at the face of the coal, the working was very moist, making water at the rate of 150 gallons in the 24 hours. "Feeders" of gas were not infrequent in this and contiguous workings, but no standing gas was reported, the ventilation being passed through the working by means of a "brattice." Some of the witnesses spoke to the constant "singing" of gas there to be heard, but the weight of evidence proved that this was no more than was customary in a wet working.
7. In this working was left, on the 18th April, a shot to be fired by the deputy on the following morning. The deputy on duty in the working was a man of experience, and described by the witnesses as a careful and very cautious shot firer. Unfortunately, he was rendered by the explosion mentally unfit to give evidence, and it was therefore impossible to obtain any reliable testimony of what really occurred when the shot was fired. The absence of this witness is not the only cause of the inquiry being necessarily incomplete. After the explosion, it was thought desirable to flood part of the pit in order to seal up the fire in Hogg's Brow. Some months must elapse before it would be prudent to withdraw the Water, but it was thought right to proceed with the inquest, as, notwithstanding these difficulties, sufficient evidence was procurable to found a probable theory as to the cause of the explosion, and possibly to guide managers of collieries in similar circumstances in the future.
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