Tweet

Extracted from the Annual Mines Inspectors Report for 1876

Report of Thomas Bell (page 274)

Explosions of Firedamp.

On the 26th day of September an alarming explosion of firedamp took place in the Barrier Way in the Main Coal Seam at Wheatley Hill Colliery, belonging to the "Original Hartlepool Collieries Co., Limited," resulting in the deaths of four persons and injuries more or less serious to six others; the accompanying plan shows the position of the workings where the accident took place, the district being situated about 1,100 yards south-east from the working shaft. About two years previous to this accident a district was worked on the north side called the "Green Hills" district, and on proceeding southward with the boards a rise fault was met with, and in order to prove it a staple was put up at C, O, reaching the coal 33 feet above the level of the coal in the "Green Hills" district, after which a drift, now called "Cowen's Drift," was continued south in the coal for about 8 or 10 yards and left standing; the "Green Hills" district was afterwards laid down in the goaf about five acres in extent; another pair of headways were afterwards put through the two barriers of coal as shown on plan, hence the "Barrier Way" derives its name; on reaching the east side of the barriers the headways were continued in the usual way, and places were turned away right and left; the first left board (2), called "Kelly's Board," was driven back to the fault; an east wall (3) was then driven along by the side of the fault, and now called "Quinn's Wall," intended to hole into "Burney's board" A, but before doing so it came in contact with "Cowen's Drift," already referred to, and holed at X, where gas was lodged, by the unfortunate man "Quinn," who was at the time working with a naked light, as was the custom in this district, and, as might be expected, an explosion was the result, killing the four people whose bodies were found at the places indicated by the figures on the plan; those who escaped were working in the places indicated by letters; the air was taken in by the main horse road up to S, where it was conducted into "Kelly's," then into "Quinn's" places by canvas brattice as shown by the thin line; the places A, B, C, B were also ventilated by the same system of bratticing, after which the air was taken out by the main return to the furnace shaft; the first traces of fire were seen a few feet back from the holing into "Cowen's Drift," extending along "Kelly's" board through the Stenton to F, and inbye on the main headways as far as (4). "Kelly" and "Quinn" would seem to have been killed almost instantly, as their bodies were found not many feet from their working places. It would appear that "Dobinson," the back overman, had met the explosion some way about the sheet S, and made his way outbye until he had fallen at 1, while the boy "Abram" had travelled from E in "Foster's" board to S, then mistaking his road had gone inbye and reached 4, when he succumbed to the after-damp; the deputy in charge of the district was working at D at the time, and succeeded in getting the remainder of the men and boys safely out.

A long and exhaustive inquiry, extending over four days, was held before Crofton Maynard, Esq., the County Coroner, and an intelligent jury composed chiefly of individuals who had formerly been connected with coal mining, and the following are a few extracts from the evidence of some of the principal witnesses :—

Henry White, surveyor, who had only entered on his duties on the day previous to the explosion, put in the plans of the colliery, and said "they had been made up to within a few days of the explosion ; the greatest extent of workings he had put on was from two to ten yards." (The plans were made up to the 21st, and a copy given to the manager, on the 23rd September.)

Anthony Ritchey, deputy, said, "I examined all the working places in the 'Barrier Way' about 4 o'clock on Tuesday morning, the 26th September, and found all safe for working; I then went to and examined the headways way and found all right, thence to the flat to meet the men and examine and lock their lamps, which are used in this way, but candles are used in the 'Barrier Way'; I did not see the latter men, as I had not time; I did not know that there was any probability of any of the men in barrier flat holing into any goaf or other place, excepting a board or wall in the ordinary course of working; the Special Rules poiut out that no workman shall go beyond the appointed station unless ordered by the deputy. I did not direct the men to go in on the morning in question, but told 'Robert Hodgson,' another deputy, if anything was wrong I would put a notice board on the waggon way, but as nothing was wrong I did not put up such notice; it is quite possible I might be detained inbye beyond my usual time, and men might go in to work before all was reported right, thinking I had been my rounds and left. My partner 'Thompson' examined the barrier flat on Monday, and reported that he had found gas no one in authority ever told me we were likely to hole into any goaf or other district; we had no instructions to use bore rods or safety lamps in the barrier way ; on the Monday morning before the accident some of the barrier flat men applied to me for lamps, and I gave them two; they said two of the places were foul; I am aware that locked lamps are to be used if gas is expected. If I had known there was a goaf so near, and we were likely to hole into it, I would neither have worked there myself or allowed 'Quinn' to work; goaf is a likely place to contain gas, and where we generally find it."

Thomas Watson said, "I am a deputy, and was in charge of the back shift in barrier way on the day of the accident; I went in about 11 o'clock a.m. ; the colliers would go in about 10 o'clock. I first went to 'Foster's' place, then to 'Kelly's' then to 'Quinn's' putting them in timber, &c. as required on my rounds; when in 'Quinn's' place I observed nothing unusual; it was not then holed; I went thence to 'Burney's', and on to 'Booth's' board, when I felt a sudden rush of wind inbye; I went to see what was the matter, and met the after-damp coming in on the fore headways; I then called for all the workmen to come away, as something had happened, and we got outbye; I was not aware thatt 'Quinn's' or any other place was likely to hole into any old place or goaf; I expected we were working in a solid piece of coal; my partner 'Hodgson' told me that 'Foster's' board was foul on Monday morning, but when I went in I found it clear; naked lights are used in this way. I have not access to the plans of the workings. I had no instructions from my superiors that 'Quinn' was likely to hole, or that he was to use a lamp."

Robert Thompson and Robert Hodgson, deputies, gave similar evidence to the previous witnesses as to the state of the barrier way previous to the explosion, also that they had no instructions from those in charge that 'Quinn's' or any other place was likely to hole into goaf or any other district.

William Foster said, "I am a collier, and work in the first right-hand board in the barrier way, and was working there on the morning of the explosion. I saw 'Watson' the deputy, who took my lamp from me, and told me to light a candle; he said my partner was in with a candle. I commenced work and prepared a shot, which I fired on the left side; about an hour after the firing of this shot I heard the explosion. I put out my light and got hold of 'Abram' the putter, and made outbye ; we fell over his pony, and I lost hold of him and saw him no more; there was no gas in my place; I saw no flash of fire, and it did not fire on me. I was informed there was gas in my place on the Monday, when I was not at work; the force of the blast came inbye to me."

James Burney, Daniel Booth, and John Bradley, colliers working in places A, B, C, spoke to the force of the explosion going inbye to them, but which did not put out their lights; they were taken outbye by Watson the deputy.

Robert Cowen, stoneworkman, said, "I assisted Samuel Brown, William Smith, and others to put a staple or drift through a rise fault south from the 'Green Hills' way about 18 months ago; Aaron Smith was charge man; we put the place up about 5½ fathoms, then met with the coal, and drove a drift about 10 yards into it; during the process of driving 'Mr. Robson' the manager, and 'Mr. Thompson' the fore overman, visited us; we used candles until reaching the coal, then we used safety lamps; as soon as this drift was driven we left, it was not filled up. We put another place up the same fault further inbye and nearer the waggon way, but did not get the coal; this drift was called 'Sharp's Drift.'"

Samuel Brown and William Smith gave corroborative evidence. At the request of the jury these last three witnesses inspected the drift and staple, and identified it as the one they driven from the "Green Hills" flat about 18 months ago.

A large number of other witnesses were examined whose evidence did not materially differ from that given above, but in the main corroborated what has already been stated.

William Thompson said, "I am fore overman in charge of the main coal seam at Wheatley Hill Colliery, in which the "barrier flat" is situated; I was last through the workings before the explosion on the 25th September; I found the pit all right on that day except 'Foster's' board, which was foul; 'Quinn's' wall was not to my knowledge holed at that time; we worked this flat with candles by 'Mr. Robson's' instructions; I never made application to use lamps, or yet did the men request me to allow them to use lamps; I never see the plans except when 'Mr. Robson' shows them to me; I was overman when 'Cowen's Drift' was put over the fault from 'Green Hills,' and was up the drift when it reached the coal, but do not know if this drift is shown on the plan; I knew that 'Green Hills' goaf was below the fault, but received no instructions from any one as to 'Quinn's' wall reaching the drift, and had no idea of its being so near; 'Quinn' was expected to hole into 'Burney's' board ; did not see a survey until after the accident, having not had a tracing of the workings for over 12 months, although I have frequently asked for the one I got on coming to the colliery; a new one was promised, but I never got it; I first heard of the explosion about noon on the 26th September, and hurried down the pit." (Witness here described the condition he found the pit in, and the means adopted to restore the ventilation and recover the bodies, continuing—) "I could not determine the point of explosion, but if I have to give an opinion I would say in 'Kelly's' place, as there is a large stone fallen out; I account for the charring on the props or outward force of the blast from 'Quinn's' holding in this way : when the explosion took place in 'Kelly's' board it had run down 'Quinn's' wall behind the brattice, then turned and come back again; I still think that the blast went along one side of the brattice and back on the other without knocking it down, then outbye to other parts of the pit, doing all this damage. I do not think the top of this fault or drift a likely place to contain gas, as I never saw any in it while driving; I have seen gas on the edges of the goaf in 'Green Hills' way, and still think this staple not a likely place to find gas, although it is right in the middle of goaf. I cannot say if gas will always be found at the highest point when closed up; a man named 'Sharp' was burnt in 'Green Hills' about three pillars from the drift; we have made several holings into old workings (boards and walls) with candles, but seen no gas; such workings would, however, be ventilated with return air; I could see the plan by applying to the manager, and whenever he was going to make any alterations he brought it out and we looked at it together; the barrier flat has only been in existence about three months, and was only surveyed a few days before the accident, therefore I never saw these workings upon the plan until after the accident; the barrier way, to the best of my knowledge, was safe, and I have carried out Mr. Robson's instructions to the letter, as far as I know."

In answer to Mr. Robson, the manager, witness said, "I remember a general conversation with you and other officials, in the office, about a fortnight or three weeks ago, in reference to this place we have holed into; I never apprehended anything, and never had any idea where we were working or how far we were off this place; I expected we were a long way off it; I was just as ignorant of the distance as anybody else; the barrier way had not been surveyed at that time, consequently I could not tell whether it would hole soon or late."

Mr. Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines for the Durham district, said, "I made a careful examination of the 'Barrier Way' in the 'main coal' seam at 'Wheatley Hill' Colliery the morning after the explosion, accompanied by 'Mr. Atkinson,' my assistant, 'Mr. Cooper,' general manager of the colliery, 'Mr. Robson' the certificated manager, 'Mr. Thompson' overman, 'Mr. Foreman' and several of the workmen.

"On reaching the point S, I found slight indications of fire by the charred coal adhering to the props; proceeding down 'Kelly's' board (2) the indications became more apparent, continuing along 'Quinn's' wall to (3), disappearing altogether at C, O; the brattice was standing along this place to within twelve yards of the face of 'Quinn's' wall; there was a slight fall of roof in 'Kelly's' board. The appearance in 'Quinn's' wall seemed to show the greatest severity of the fire, gradually diminishing until reaching the points F and (4), where it disappeared altogether; the indications on the props and planks showed that the blast had gone outbye from 'Quinn's' place, the indications all being on the inbyeside of the props until reaching the main headways at S; there I found indications of fire on both sides of the props, for about 15 yards along the main headways to (4). The force of the blast coming up 'Kelly's' board would strike against the projecting corner of the Stenton pillar of coal, that would divert the force of the current in over, it would then return outover to the main current of air, and this will account for the marks on both sides of the props at this point. I found no gas in the working places except slight indications in 'Bradley's' headway C, and 'Foster's' board E, but not sufficient to fire in the lamp. I am of opinion that the gas has come out of 'Cowen's' drift through the holings made into it by 'Quinn' at X. The gas on first being liberated would probably not be explosive, but would become so on being mixed with the atmospheric air in 'Quinn's' wall, and be ignited at his candle. I do not think the fall would cause the explosion, but am of opinion it took place afterwards. If the explosion had taken place at 'Kelly's' light the indications of fire in 'Quinn's' wall would have been the reverse to what I found them. If proper precautions had been taken in approaching this drift, and safety lamps had been used, this explosion would not have taken place."

The Coroner then summed up, reading over and commenting on portions of the evidence, when the jury retired, and after the lapse of an hour and a quarter returned the following verdict:—

"We, the jurymen of this inquiry, unanimously agree, according to the evidence adduced, that the explosion took place in 'Quinn's' wall through holing into 'Cowen's' drift, and that had due precaution been taken by 'William Robson,' the certificated manager, these men would not have lost their lives by the explosion. We find the said 'William Robson' guilty of negligence, but not gross negligence sufficient to put him on his trial."

In accordance with your instructions I afterwards took proceedings against 'Mr. Robson,' the manager, for a breach of the 7th General Rule of the Coal Mines Regulation Act, which requires that "in every working approaching any place where there is likely to be an accumulation of explosive gas no lamp or light other than a locked safety-lamp shall be allowed or used," &c. The case was heard at the "Castle Eden Petty Sessions," before the "Rev. W. Mayor" (Chairman), "Rev. John Burdon," and "R. M. Hudson," Esq., when after going through the full detail of the evidence given at the inquest, the magistrates retired, and on returning into court the Chairman said, "The bench have given this case their most careful consideration, and have gone through the evidence as closely as they could. I am desired to say that the magistrates are glad to see on the part of the prosecution and the defence that there has been such a good feeling exhibited towards each other. There has been no attempt to exaggerate on the one side or to equivocate on the other, but the whole facts on which the bench had to base their judgment have been brought out fully and fairly. Taking into consideration all the circumstances of the case, the bench are unanimously of opinion that the charge has been proved, and we have decided to convict in the full penalty of £20, which will give the defendant the right of appeal, should he object to our decision."

The penalty and costs, amounting together to £26 15s., were then paid.