17^th February 1909

---

Colliery Disaster In Durham

140 Miners Entombed

A colliery explosion occurred at half past 3 yesterday afternoon at the West Stanley Pit, West Stanley, Durham. Up to midnight it was impossible to ascertain what loss of life had taken place among the 130 to 140 men and boys in the mine, but the latest messages show that the loss of life will probably be great.

Details Of The Accident.

Our Newcastle Correspondent, telegraphing at a late hour last night, says :— Another colliery explosion in the Durham coalfield, the third within two years, occurred yesterday afternoon, and promises unfortunately to be one of the greatest. It happened at West Stanley, where a similar explosion occurred 27 years ago and resulted in the loss of 13 lives. That, however, compared with the probabilities of the present accident is very insignificant, for at the time the two explosions occurred there were 130 men and boys down the pit.

The district is purely a mining one, and the pit affected is one of the largest in the area, standing on the top of a long and steep hill. The West Stanley Colliery is owned by Messrs. John Henry Burn and Frank Hawthorn Burn. It contains four seams, and runs to a depth of 120 fathoms. In each of these seams, Brockwell at the bottom, Busty next, with Tillie and Towneley the two uppermost, were several men and boys, 46, it is stated, being in Brockwell seam. They had been down since 10 o'clock in the morning, and within half an hour of the explosion occurring were due to be drawn to bank. About 3.30 a loud explosion was heard, and barely had the echo died away before it was followed by a second explosion quite as loud. Between the two reports a tremendous tongue of flame leapt up the shafting, with the result that several men standing at the pit head were rather badly scorched. The reports of the explosions at once drew an anxious crowd of all sorts and conditions of people, many ready to help in any attempts at rescue. No information could be given ; and though Mr. Parkin, colliery agent, Mr. Heslop, manager, and Mr. Parkin, under manager, were quickly on the spot, it could not be ascertained whether all or which of the seams were affected and what damage had been done. It was certain that both the Busty and Lamp pit shafts — the first the ordinary shaft and the second the spare one — had been extensively damaged. The flat sheets of the Busty shaft were blown in all directions, while the bottom of the cage was also blown out of its position. Thus all means of communication were cut off, and it was feared that there would be no possible means of escape until the shafting was repaired.

A Means Of Egress.

It was impossible to state which of the seams was affected, and some hopes were expressed that the explosion had occurred in the top seam, for the work of rescue would not be so long delayed then. Between the seams it was possible to have communication by means of staples ; but there was a fear that these would, perhaps, be channels, not of communication or relief, but of further trouble in the way of after-damp. In addition, there was an old drift between the Tillie and Busty seams ; but it was rather a circuitous route at best, and it was feared that as a means of egress it would not be readily found by those who were imprisoned.

As already stated, there were many ready and willing workers ; for, in addition to the colliery officials, the fore shift was almost on the point of descending, and they, of course, remained behind to help as far as possible. There were also several experts from neighbouring collieries, including Mr. Joseph Fawley, of South Moor ; Mr. Phillip Kirkup, of Birtley ; Mr. Severs, of Beamish ; and Messrs. Wilson, of Pelton and Edmondsley. No time was lost in getting to work to find out the best means of procuring release ; and it was found that the most expeditious means was by patching up the Lamp pit shaft, which was so severely damaged 30 yards away from the Busty shaft, up which the flame had shot. Meanwhile rescue parties were being rapidly formed and everything possible for the comfort of the men was in readiness, including food and drink and tubes of oxygen. The Fleuss apparatus was also ready for use. Steadily the work of repairing the shaft proceeded, and after five hours work — hard work willingly performed — it was stated that by lowering and raising the cage little by little the Lower Lamp Pit shaft had been repaired half-way down to the top seam, the Towneley. It was evidently a question of time to carry out the repairs, but meanwhile there were fears of afterdamp.

Rapping Heard.

About 9 o'clock at night there was a rapping noise which was a welcome sound to all who heard it and encouraged the workers to redouble their efforts. From which seam it came it was at the time impossible to tell, but it indicated that in at least one shaft the imprisoned men and boys were safe.

The crowd during the early hours of the evening increased to between six and seven thousand, and so concerned was the whole of the countryside for the well-being of friends and relatives that railway facilities were taxed to the utmost in conveying passengers from a radius of 12 to 14 miles. Those around the pit head were very orderly, but evidently and naturally very anxious as to the welfare of those below. Many had come prepared for a long night's watching. It was felt that the waiting would be long, for it was known that the men could not be reached until the early hours of this morning at the very earliest.

Another Account.

Our Darlington Correspondent, telegraphs :— "A terrible explosion occurred yesterday afternoon at West Stanley Colliery, situate in the North-West Durham coalfield. It is feared that the loss of life will be heavy. The colliery is a long way from any railway station, and details are not yet to hand. The whole of the back-shift men, numbering 130, were in the pit at the time. There were two loud reports, and the mass of flames rose above the shaft, scorching some of the men on the pit head. Fortunately the fan continued to operate, so that the men underneath may have a continuous supply of fresh air unless they are found to have been cut off by a fall of the roof, which may have taken place after the explosion. A portion of the flat sheets were lifted up and the bottom of the cage was blown out. The signalling apparatus was, of course, damaged, so that it was impossible to communicate with the pit bottom. The noise of the explosion soon drew a large crowd of workers to the pit head, and a rescue party, under the overman, Mr. Robert Heslop, at once descended."

Word has been sent to the Elswick Works at Newcastle to bring the new life-saving apparatus, which enables exploring parties to penetrate the workings for a considerable distance in spite of afterdamp.