Colliery Disaster

Newcastle-on-Tyne, Tuesday, 1 a.m.

A disastrous colliery explosion occurred last night at Walker, just outside the boundary of this city. At the time of telegraphing the full consequences of the accident are largely a matter of speculation, but it is estimated that the number of the killed will be not less than 27. The scene of the accident is what is known as the Ann Pit, belonging to the Walker Coal Company, and the seat of the explosion the Brockwell seam, one of the lowest of the seams worked by the colliery. The time at which the firing took place was between 7 and 8 o'clock, at which time there were in the Brockwell seam 30 men and boys. Three of these have been got out alive, but badly burnt. It is greatly feared that the remaining 27 have perished. The men in the other seams state that the first indication of the occurrence was the strange rush of air followed by a counter outward current. This led them to make their way to the shaft, where inquiries were instituted, and the sad reality shortly ascertained.

Word was sent to the bank as soon as the nature of the occurrence was realised, and Mr. White, the manager, and a party of men descended to the workings. On exploring the fatal seam they discovered three injured men, who were sent to the bank. Next were found the dead bodies of some of their comrades. The news of the explosion spread rapidly, and the pit head was quickly surrounded by the relatives and friends of the men in the mine, Parties of explorers were promptly organised, but, as is always the case in these disasters, the work was one of great difficulty, not only by reason of the precautions which it was necessary to take against afterdamp, but on account of the damage and obstruction in the workings.

At the time of telegraphing five dead bodies have been recovered and the search for others is proceeding. Mr. White has only been the manager of the colliery some two or three months, succeeding the later Mr. Heckels, who had filled the position for some years. It is only a few months since a double fatality occurred at Walker Colliery, when the coroner's inquiry into the affair showed that the deaths had resulted from an accident while shot-firing. Walker is one of the few collieries in Northumberland from which gas-coal is worked, and is on that account more dangerous than most of the Northumberland mines in which steam-coal, a harder and drier coal, is produced.

2 a.m.

At 1.30 a.m. the explorers came out of the pit, which was then clear. The result of the accident is that six men have been killed and three seriously injured. The other 20 odd, who were at first supposed to have been killed, were got out safely. The accident was the result of shot firing. Only stonemen were in the pit at the time.