Article from the Durham Chronicle, 31^st October 1902

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News

On Saturday morning at the Punch Bowl Inn, Craghead, Mr. Coroner Graham held an inquiry into the circumstances attending the death of William Hall, who died on Friday from injuries received at Oswald Colliery, Craghead, on the 15th October. Mr. E. J. Wardle represented the colliery owners, and Mr. W. Walker (Durham), assistant inspector of mines, was present. Mr. T. Simpson was appointed foreman of the jury.

Richard Randell, Wheatley Green, miner, identified the body as that of his brother-in-law, who was 26 years of age, and lived at 21, Bloemfontein Terrace. He died at his home on Friday from injuries received on the 15th October. Deceased never told witness how the accident happened. Deceased left a widow and two children under three years of age.

Samuel Palmer, Wylam Street, Craghead, pony putter at Oswald Pit, stated that between eight and nine o'clock on the morning of the 15th October he had a full tub which he was taking out along a barrow way to the flat in the Low Main seam. At a turn the front wheels of the tub got off the way. Witness shouted for Wm. Hall, whose tub he was taking off, and who was working about 32 yards away, to help. Witness had a "midgy" lamp, which was an open light, and Hall brought a lighted candle out with him. Hall was coming out of the turn with the lighted candle in his hand, and was about six feet away when witness saw a sheet of flame about Hall, which came to witness and burnt his hand. The tub was between deceased and him, and at the time witness was holding the "midgy" with his left hand. He could not say whether he heard an explosion, but there was a rush of wind, and his "midge" was, knocked out of his hand and Hall's candle was extinguished. Witness sent for the deputy, and Hall sent for John Smith.

By Mr. Walker: When he first saw it the flame was passing him. It lighted at Hall's candle, and not at witness's "midgy." He did not know what force there was, as both of them ran away.

John Smith, Thomas Street, Craghead, miner, said he was working in the same seam, and about a pillar away from Hall, when he heard a slight bit of a noise. Witness had never had the misfortune to be present when there was an explosion. What he heard was a report like a shot come from the direction of Hall's place. Hall ran for witness at once. He was working with a naked light, as was customary in that seam. Up to that time it was not supposed to be a "gassy" seam, but was worked regularly with open lamps. Hall complained about having been burnt when coming out to help the putter. When he got towards the tub Hall said, "She lit up and burnt me." Hall had pulled off his body shirt, which was singed. Witness assisted in sending Hall out-bye after being lapped up.

By Mr. Walker: He had known the place for eight years, and had never seen any gas.

Robert Walker, Bloemfontein Terrace, said he was working a hundred yards away from Palmer when the accident happened. He never heard any noise that he took any notice of. Smith came to witness, and he went with him after getting some clothes to lap Hall in. Hall was at the flat, and others were busy dressing him. Half of his own and half of Smith's clothes were put on to him, and witness took him to bank. Deceased ran all the way to the shaft, a distance of half a mile, although his legs were burnt. Deceased had to walk down staple ladders, and this he did unassisted. Witness brought him and Palmer to bank, and then Hall was sent home in the ambulance stretcher. He had worked eight weeks in the seam and never saw any gas.

By Mr. Walker: At the time they were using naked lights, but now they had safety lamps.

Dr. Fox stated that he attended the deceased during his last illness. He died from the effect of burns received at the pit, and most probably from shock and exhaustion.

The Coroner handed over to the witness Randell half the fee received by Dr. Fox for attending the inquest. The other portion of the fee Dr. Fox left to the coroner's discretion to be applied to some charitable purpose.

Randell, on behalf of the widow, thanked Dr. Fox for his gift.

Joseph Pritchard, living at Thomas Street, Craghead, said he was deputy in charge of the district. Before the men started at a quarter to four he examined the place where the explosion happened. He made his general examination with a safety lamp, and also examined for gas. His lamp showed no gas at all. The Hutton seam was about 33 feet below the low main seam. Underneath this place when the explosion occurred witness knew that there was "goaf" there. There was a hitch leader in the low main seam, and it was probable it would extend to the Hutton seam. The barometer had fallen that morning from 28.80 at 2 a.m. to, he was told, 28.50 between eight and nine o'clock. That would be likely to have an effect on the "goaf." If there was gas in the Hutton seam "goaf," then it would be likely to find its way into the Low Main by the hitch leader. After the man had been removed he examined the place where the explosion had occurred, but found no indication of force having been exerted by an explosion.

The Coroner: From the absence of such indications and the man not being burnt very severely, and that the putter was very slightly burnt, do you draw any conclusions as to whether there was much or little gas ?—There must have been little gas.

Mr. Walker: Was the brattice all right ?—It was hanging secure in its place.

Mr. Walker: Have you found gas here before ?—A small quantity the morning before.

Mr. Walker: Was there a "gullet" in the Low Main seam ?—Yes.

Mr. Walker: What amount of gas was there on the 14th ?—Just enough to be shown on the lamp.

Mr. Walker: What did you do ?—We put in a "sconce."

Mr. Walker: Did that shift it ?—Yes.

Mr. Walker: How long did it take ?—The last time I saw the gas was about 7.30 on the 14th inst.

Mr. Walker: Did your "marra" say there was any in the back shift ?—No.

Mr. Walker: The next morning was there any trace ?—None at all.

Mr. Walker: Before the 14th had you ever found any ?—No; but my "marra" did on the 10th.

Mr. Walker: Is that reported ?—Yes.

Mr. Walker: Did you report that verbally to the overman ?—Yes.

Mr. Walker: Was anything done on the 10th ?—The "sconce" was put up, and it got rid of it.

Mr. Walker: Did you think there was any danger ?—No.

Mr. Walker: What made you think so ?—There was only a small quantity, and it was just coming and going.

The Coroner said, as the jury would have observed, this was a very important case. They had almost flattered themselves into the belief that they had seen the end of gas explosions. For many years the collieries in this district had worked safely and without any gas explosions, with one exception, about a year ago, when there was a case in a neighbouring colliery, in which one life was lost through a slight accumulation where gas was not expected. It was in many respects a similar case to this, and only showed that in spite of all they did to ensure safety, fatal accidents would sometimes happen, and it really seemed as though it were impossible to avoid them. As long as seams continued to be worked as they were, which would be as long as there was any coal left, there would be seam above seam just like floor above floor in a house, and although one or two seams may be perfectly safe and without the slightest chance of any explosion, such an unexpected state of things as occurred in this case might happen. There might be goaf immediately below the seam in which the men were working, and a hitch leader or small crack running down which was just sufficient to allow the oozing of a slight amount of gas. In this case there were very peculiar circumstances which all tended to the explosion. In the first place there was the barometer going down so low as to force gas out of the "goaf," where it was doing no harm, and then by means of this hitch leader finding its way into the Low Main seam. Then he doubted very much whether an explosion would have occurred had it not been for the unfortunate circumstance of this gullet or pocket in the roof just holding what little gas might have escaped from the hitch leader. The gas had accumulated in the first place in the "goaf," then found its way into the Low Main seam, where it was, so to speak, imprisoned in the gullet or pocket just above where the poor man had to pass with his light, and he had only to pass with it to cause the gas to explode. As to the quantity of the gas, it must have been exceedingly small, as there was no force, and the timber was not disturbed at all. The putter was slightly burnt, but nothing was displaced — not even the canvas brattice. This was quite sufficient to show that there was very little gas indeed. Evidence had been given showing that there was gas there on two previous occasions, but the quantity was so small that by putting in a "sconce," so as to direct ventilation to that particular point, the small quantity of gas was cleared away. The officials had done their duty in entering in their report the presence of gas, and so far as that part of their duty was concerned it was correctly performed. Then on the morning of the accident the deputy made an examination, and if they believed him — and he saw no reason why they should disbelieve him — there was no gas to be found. Previous reports showed that whenever gas was found the fact had been reported. It was for the jury to say whether there was any neglect on the part of anybody which contributed to this unfortunate occurrence, or whether they thought that the explosion had been caused by accident. It was satisfactory to them to know that safety lamps had been substituted and everything done to prevent a recurrence of this unfortunate accident.

The Foreman said the jury were quite satisfied that every precaution had been taken for the safety of the men working in this place, and were of opinion that this was a pure accident, which could not have been foreseen.