III. NARRATIVE OF THE EXPLOSION

(a) Discovery and Preliminary Attempts at Rescue

22. The explosion occurred at 5.40 p.m. on the 15th August, 1947, when 118 persons were at work underground on the back-shift. There were only 14 survivors. Eleven of these, including onsetters, haulage hands and three repairers, were at work on the outbye side of the area seriously affected by the explosion at points ranging from the downcast pit bottom to a point fully a mile inbye on the main intake haulage road where the three repairers were engaged in renewing steel arches. Of these eleven persons, only one was injured-a repairer, who was taken to hospital as a result of slight injuries sustained when he was blown off the barrel on which he was standing when the explosion happened. The remaining three survivors, who were working at the face of No. 2 Rise District on the inbye side of the area traversed by the explosion, had a miraculous escape, and were brought to the surface in a somewhat exhausted condition on the afternoon of the following day. A fuller reference to their remarkable escape will be given later. The probable disposition, immediately prior to the explosion, of the 104 persons who lost their lives and of the three facemen who survived, is shown in Plan No. 2.

23. There was nothing in the events prior to the explosion which had given the management cause for worry or alarm. For some considerable time, work had been proceeding quite normally. Nothing untoward had happened, had been observed or had been reported that indicated danger, let alone an impending disaster of great magnitude. The work of the day-shift on the 15th August had been completed without incident; the back-shift workers had gone down to work at their allotted tasks; the 14 persons on the "staggered" shift had completed their day's work and had ascended the mine about 5.30 p.m. with no hint of anything out of the ordinary; and, lastly, a sick back-shift worker ascended about 5.35 p.m. About 5 minutes later came the first warning of the explosion. The onsetter felt a "rush of wind" coming from inbye which raised the dust, and, although the blast was quite strong, it did not knock him over. He knew at once that something serious had happened, and immediately telephoned to bank. He then went 100 yards along the siding to the pit circuit telephone where he found a haulage hand trying to telephone inbye without result.

24. The Manager, Mr. W. H. McAllister, had left the colliery a few minutes before the warning was received at the surface, and on reaching home received an urgent message to return to the pit at once. He did so and arrived back about 6 p.m. All the information he could then get was that "something had happened underground." On his way to the shaft he met the surface compressor attendant, who told him the compressor was running at full speed and he thought there must be "an open end somewhere." After instructing the attendant to keep the compressor running until he received further instructions, Mr. McAllister descended the shaft. He was not long in coming to the conclusion that there had been an explosion, and he immediately telephoned to the surface for urgent messages to be sent to all his superior officers, H.M. Inspector of Mines, representatives of the National Union of Mineworkers, the Rescue Station, the Chief Engineer and Electrician and two local Doctors. All responded to the call without delay.

25. The Manager then went inbye along the main intake road to explore, taking a few workmen with him. He had not gone very far when he noticed a peculiar smell which, from previous experience, he associated immediately with an explosion. On reaching the air crossing from the Six-Quarters Seam to the main return in the Main Band Seam (Plan No. 1) he sent two workmen in to examine the doors and the state of the air in the return, with a view to reaching two repairers, Fox and Marshall, who were working in the main return. They reported the doors intact, the air deadly, and any attempt at rescue impossible. Two workmen were at once sent to the shaft to bring in canaries and a portable reviving apparatus. The remainder of the party proceeded inbye. The separation doors in the first connexion between intake and return in the Six Quarters Seam were found intact, but from this point inbye signs of explosive violence became more evident, and the smell in the atmosphere more noticeable. The party pressed on. When the junction of Old No. 2 North was reached, they found tubs derailed, roof girders displaced and the roof weighting badly. After setting some workmen on to strengthen the roof supports the party pressed on again but found the roadway dangerous because of numerous falls. The party then returned to the junction of Old No. 2 North District and found intake air entering it. This roadway had been previously sealed off by a brick stopping with two half-doors in it. On the inbye side of the brick stopping there was a wooden "clincher" stopping with a sheet in it. At the air-crossing itself, there were two doors leading into the main return. One was blown off and the other blown open and damaged. The return airway was heavily fouled with deadly afterdamp. Returning to the junction the party tried to get further inbye along the main intake, but after travelling a few yards beyond the point reached on their first exploration they were forced to abandon the attempt because of heavy falls and roof weighting. About this time the Agent, Mr. D. McPherson, and the Chief Planning Engineer, Mr. A. B. Dawson, arrived with canaries, followed soon after by the first Mines Rescue Team. The canaries were tried in the return airway and immediately collapsed. Because of falls and dangerous roof conditions, no further exploration was possible by the main intake and haulage road until repairs had been effected and the ventilation restored. And since the only possible approach to the inbye workings was by way of the return airway, which was fouled by the poisonous afterdamp of the explosion, thereafter, until the ventilation was restored, all exploration and recovery work was done by fully equipped rescue teams.

(b) Work of Trained Rescue Brigades

26. With the arrival of Superintendent Charlton and the three permanent rescue corps men, bringing with them the necessary equipment from the Cumberland Central Rescue Station at Brigham, and of trained rescue men from the Whitehaven and other collieries in the Cumberland coalfield, rescue and recovery work was set in motion without delay about 7 p.m. on the night of the explosion. From the preliminary reports of the first rescue teams in action it very soon became evident that a disaster of appalling magnitude had occurred and that there seemed little hope of rescuing anyone alive. Moreover, because of the heavy death roll and the long distance to be travelled by the teams in roadways full of noxious gases and badly obstructed by falls, damaged plant and machinery, it also became apparent that, if the exploration and recovery work was to be carried out expeditiously, more trained rescue men would be needed than the Cumberland coalfield could supply. Accordingly, teams were brought from Durham and Northumberland Stations that night under the charge of Chief Officer Mills, who then took charge of operations. Later, assistance and equipment were also received from the Boothstown Rescue Station in Lancashire, and the Coatbridge Rescue Station in Scotland. In all, 35 teams took part in the operation-probably the largest number ever engaged on this work at a colliery-making 105 underground visits, 75 of which were made by the 14 regular Cumberland teams. As was to be expected, they did magnificent work under arduous and dangerous conditions but, despite their numbers, the strain during the first two days was too heavy and a break in the work had to be enforced at the week-end to give the men a much-needed and well-earned rest. Certain matters in connexion with the organization and arising out of the work of the trained Rescue Brigades will be discussed later.

27. All the reports of rescue teams for the period covering the night of the explosion and the following morning, relative to the conditions prevailing in the inbye workings of the Six Quarters Seam, gave no grounds for hope that any of the missing men could possibly be alive. During this period the rescue teams were operating from a fresh-air base in Old No. 2, adjacent to the air crossing. At first their work was confined to exploration in the hope of finding someone alive. As more trained rescue teams became available, some teams were detailed to recover bodies of victims; but the work of exploration still went on. It came, therefore, as a tremendous surprise when, in the early afternoon of the 16th August-fully 20 hours after the explosion-three men, J. E. Birkett, D. Hinde and J. J. Weighman, suddenly made their appearance in the main haulage road. Hopes were immediately revived that others might still be alive. About this time, the fresh-air base was advanced inbye to No. 3 Trunk Road, and every available rescue team put on to explore every part of the inbye workings which was not so obstructed as to prevent entry. With the advance of the fresh-air base, the shorter distances now to be travelled made the journey to the inbye workings practicable in the limited time during which the teams could operate beyond their base. But no further signs of life were found. Except for the rest period already mentioned on the night of the 17th/18th, the trained rescue teams continued their labours until the recovery of the last body from the pit at 9 p.m. on the 23rd August.

(c) Exploration of the Explosion Area

28. Concurrently with the work of the trained rescue teams, who entered the inbye workings by way of the return airway, relays of workmen and officials worked continuously on the main haulage road in fresh intake air, clearing falls, setting supports and restoring the ventilation. Despite their efforts, it was not until the 27th August. nearly twelve days after the explosion, that it became possible to make a complete inspection of the whole of the inbye workings traversed by the explosion.

29. As the ventilation and travelling conditions in the various roadways and faces traversed by the explosion were restored, investigations extending over many days were made by H.M. Inspectors, members of staff of the Ministry's Safety in Mines Research and Testing Branch, colliery officials and other representatives of the National Coal Board, and by representatives of the workmen. There was evidence of violence in many places. The position of the bodies as located by the rescue teams and the condition and location of all plant and machinery, of falls and other relevant matters were carefully noted and are shown in some detail in Plan No. 3. Indications of direction of force as shown by the displacement of stoppings, tubs, supports, plant and other movable objects were carefully noted and recorded. I personally made two underground inspections of the scene of the disaster, accompanied by representatives of the Inspectorate, Management and workmen.

(d) The Story of the Three Survivors

30. On the day of the explosion, Birkett and Hinde, both brushers, descended the mine at 2.30 p.m., while Weighman, a pan-shifter, descended at 1.30 p.m. They were at their work in the No. 2 Rise District, when the explosion happened. All three-the "three living miracles" as they were called by Mr. Abe Moffat of the National Union of Mineworkers-gave evidence at the Inquiry and had a remarkable story to tell. Each told of his unique experience very impressively, so much so, that I think it right to quote Birkett's own dramatic words from the transcription of the official short-hand notes

Q. – You were on this job round about 5.30 or just after? A. – Yes.

Q. – What happened at the time? A. – There was 12 of us together working round where I was, and there was a terrible report.

Q. – One? A. – One.

Q. – Yes. A. – Just as if the drums of our ears had burst, it was that severe, and the air like fluttered, and when it was over everyone said they thought the drums of their ears were going to burst. A chap called Clark, and Hewer-he was acting overman - thought it was the short wall face had collapsed. So Clark says "Come on, we will go and see Joe ", he said " we will go and see if it has collapsed ". So they went away, and two or three minutes after I says "I will go and get my bait ", but when I got about 10 yards up the face someone shouts "Hurry up, come on ". When we got up and off the face into the mothergate, we put our clothes on and at the four road ends we were all congregating there when I heard Clark say to Hewer "Hurry up Joe, and get on the face and see what is wrong ". Nicholson, the deputy, says "Are we all here? ". I said "Yes ", and he says "Follow me ". We set off to go out. When we got so far by one dip air crossing just up there it was terrible thick, and the deputy started to go down and one or two more, and as he was going down someone asked for an oil lamp. I asked him if he had put his out or had it gone out, and he said he put it out. Then an oil lamp came into my hands, where from I don't know. With that someone says "This door's open "-that was in the air crossing, and that is only a small door. The men started to go in it. Of course being very small at that time you would have thought they were crushing. They were a shade and I turned and said "Don't panic men When we got in it was red hot. I took my coat off and threw it away, and next thing was Jimmy Rigg says " Can we not get down here Jack "-that is down by one dip tail-gate round by this face- "and get out". I says "No, we are going to face it all the way". With that I says to Hinde "Can you tell me where there is any water?", and he says "Main end ". I says "Come on in here . . .

Q. – Meaning Skelly's? A. – Yes. Skelly's. As I was going I asked a chap to come, but someone shouted to him and he didn't. Why we will never know. As Hinde and I were going down into the end we heard Weighman's voice. He asked if that was Jack and I said "Yes, and Danny ". As we were crawling down I says to Hinde "I am not going to make it ". He said "Try Jack". ". I says " I am not going to make it ", so he shouted to Weighman and they came and pulled me out down by the loader end into the end. I laid face down for a long time. When my heart became normal and my head stopped throbbing I said to Hinde and Weighman, I said "God is good, we will get out of here." I asked them what water we had, they said two bottles. I said "Don't drink it . I saw what bait I had and had a little bit. They had theirs and after the bait they said "What about having a go". I says to Weighman "You take the lamp, Jimmy". I had the . .

Q. – You are referring to the oil lamp? A. – Yes. I says "You take the oil lamp". I had a hawk, and I said "Danny, bring the water"-the two bottles like. So we tried. When we got about 20 or 30 yards inbye that crossing we had to retreat again. We went back and tried two or three times.

Q. – Was the atmosphere stuffy? A. – Yes, it was bad.

Q. – It was smoky? A. – It was bad. When we were lying, I do not know what time it would be, Hinde says "They are a long time of coming, Jack", and I said "Yes", but he said "There must be a big fall". I said "There must be". I said "If they have to come from the pit bottom they will hurry, and we will get out as fast as possible". I said "God is good and we will get out". While we were lying there Hinde says "Jack, look at this lamp". I looked and gas was right up the barrel, so we decided to have another go. We set off again and when we got to the brow top the lamp went out. He says to me "What are we going to do?" I said "If we go back there we have had it". I said "If we go on we have a chance of getting out or else we go under". I had a scarf round my neck, and asked Hinde to wet it, which he did. I asked them if they had a scarf and they said "No". I said "Take a stocking off", and Hinde tore his shirt, and Weightman took his vest off. We wet them and set off out. As we were passing the dead, Weighman felt one of their arms, but before we went I said to Jimmy "Click Nichy's oil lamp". He got that oil lamp and we got out to the second air crossing.

Q. – That is the second oil lamp? A. – Yes. We got to the crossing and when we got on the top Hinde said "There is a light here", and I said "We don't want that", and then Hinde said "There is air coming up here". I said "That is where we want to be". As we were going down Hinde said "This is better than winning the Irish Sweep". We travelled out right to the entrance of No. 3. As we were going up the main road and got so far I said "For a pipe a minute, we want another minute" and had another. As we came to each fall we went over the top until we came to the last one outbye. We got to there and we could hear knocking. I said "Wait a minute". I knocked on the plate but they could not hear. I said "Come on Jimmy, over the top", and as we were going up I says "Hello". From when we got on the top we saw men. That is it.

Q. – You had no idea of the time or anything? A. – Nothing.

31. Hinde and Weighman told equally human and dramatic stories, confirming what Birkett had said. Despite their terrifying ordeal in the inbye workings and their labours in scrambling over the numerous falls on the main haulage road on their way outbye, the three men were cheerful and in surprisingly good condition when they reached the workmen engaged in repair work at the outbye end of the fallen roadway. The survivors, after receiving the necessary attention, were then brought to the surface and removed to hospital. A day there and a short holiday soon restored them to normal health. All three showed remarkable presence of mind in a serious emergency and displayed considerable moral courage and a high sense of judgment in weighing up the possibilities and deciding to retreat to the inbye workings rather than make a rash bid for safety by rushing outbye. They again showed their good judgment by their decision to make their way outbye at the time they did. Altogether their conduct was worthy of high praise. I have already brought this matter to your notice with a view to its appropriate recognition.

(e) The Use of Trained Dogs

32. It is of special interest to record that dogs were used underground in a coal mine for the first time in an attempt to locate bodies buried under falls. This suggestion, first made by Mr. I. G. E. Leek, H.M. Inspector of Mines and Rescue Apparatus Testing Officer, was at once accepted by the representatives of all parties. Mr. Leek thereupon telephoned the R.A.F. Police Dog Training School at Staverton. The Provost Marshall immediately granted permission and forthwith dispatched in a truck F/Lt. Cooper and two Corporals, Marshall and Jenkins, in charge of two trained police dogs, "Rex" and "Prince". Unfortunately dogs trained in body recovery work were not available. Later the party was joined by Corporal Darnall. Another dog, "Jet", was collected from its owner on the journey north. "Jet" had done a lot of body recovery work during the London air raids but had been back with his owner as a pet for nearly two years. A training gallery was hurriedly prepared at the pit top, where the dogs were given a little practice before being taken down the pit.

33. Although none of the men in charge of the dogs had ever been down a mine, they never hesitated for a moment when asked to do so. For these men to go underground for the first time and do a job of work under the conditions then prevailing in the William Pit required "guts" of a high order. In spite of the handicaps of lack of training in body recovery work and of working in very strange conditions, the dogs were considered to have done useful work. It was thought for several days that a missing haulage hand would be found beneath one of several large falls on the main haulage road. The dogs worked these falls several times but showed little interest in any particular place, and rightly so, because eventually one of the mutilated bodies previously found was identified as the missing man. By this time only two bodies were missing. Although there was little doubt as to which large fall these bodies were under, nevertheless those on the spot were agreed that the dogs, after working the falls, were valuable in giving an indication as to the position of the bodies within the fall.

34. I consider this unique trial indicated that dogs properly trained for body recovery work in mines might well give valuable assistance in locating bodies buried under falls and that the use of trained dogs is well worthy of further consideration and trial.