30^th March 1909

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The Durham Colliery Disaster

Inquest

The coroner's inquiry into the circumstances of the West Stanley Colliery explosion on February 16, by which 168 men and boys were killed, was resumed yesterday morning before Coroner Graham.

The owners of the colliery, Mr. J. H. Burn and Mr. F. H. Burn, were present. The Home Office was represented by Professor Redmayne, Chief Inspector of Mines, and Mr. Donald Bain and Mr. H. Walker, inspectors ; the Coal Owners Association by Mr. Reginald Guthrie and Mr. R. W. Cooper ; the Durham Miners' Association by Mr. Atherley-Jones, K.C., M.P. ; the Deputies' Association by Mr. Edward Shortt ; and the owners of the Towneley estate by Mr. Arthur Mundel and Mr. L. N. Parmeter. There were also present Mr. John Wilson, M.P., general secretary of the Durham Miners' Association ; Mr. J. Johnson, M.P., Alderman House, president of the association ; Mr. E. H. Cann, Alderman S. Galbraith, and Mr. J. Harvey, M.P., president of the Midland Miners' Federation.

Mr. J. P. Hall, certified manager of the colliery, said that the last time the presence of gas was reported in the mine was on January 13, this being in the Towneley seam. The explosives used in the mine were saxonite for stone and monobel for coal, both of which were permitted and complied in every way with the Mines Order. Shots were fired only by the deputies, who fired them electrically ; the batteries and detonators were under the charge of the deputies. There were no open lights in the pit. Two types of locked lamps were used, and were locked on the surface ; if a lamp went out in the mine it was sent to bank to be relighted. In the ordinary way each of the four working seams were dusty, and varied in dustiness. There were systematic waterings of the seams. Electrical power was used in the pits for coal cutting, pumping, &c., the voltage being 500 and the current three-phase alternating. Everything seemed all right on the morning of the day of the explosion when the witness was in the mine. The ventilation was working well and the air was good.

Joseph Parkin, fore-overman in the Tilley, Brockwell, and Busty seams, said there was no sign of gas on the morning of the explosion, and no shots were fired in those seams that morning. In December he had found gas in the Busty seam, and it was fenced off. There were no men working at that place.

Thomas Cowen, overman, giving evidence as to the Towneley seam, said that on January 13 he had heard of gas being found in the straight south district, and gas had occasionally been found in other parts. When detected the gas was immediately removed by means of brattices. The barometer was low at 10 o'clock in the morning of the day of the explosion. A shot was fired in the district by a man named Stones, who was lost.

By Professor Redmayne. — The seam had not to be overwatered because it was a pony haulage ; and therefore it would be fairly dry at the time that the shot was fired.

By Mr. Atherley-Jones. — The foreshift deputy had told him he had given instructions for a shot to be fired into the coal.

William Thompson, master shifter for the last two years and in charge of the Towneley and Busty seams, said he came to bank at 3 o'clock on the morning of the explosion. On the Monday night a deputy, Edward Kelly, a survivor, fired a shot in the Towneley seam. The witness explained the method of watering the seams.

By Mr. Atherley-Jones. — They did not measure the temperature below ground. The Towneley seam was cool, and the temperature eat the face would probably be 50deg. In the Busty seam at the face the temperature would be 56deg. In the main returns of the Busty the temperature would be perhaps about the same. The air in the returns was not perceptibly charged with coal dust.

John Hogg, master shifter in the Tilley and Brockwell seams, said he did not detect any gas on the Sunday and Monday nights before the explosion.

Thomas Peart, Foreshift deputy in the Towneley seam, said he came to bank at 10 o'clock on the morning of the explosion, and there was no sign of gas.

Edwin Kelly, the foreshift deputy in the south-western district of the Towneley seam, said that on the morning of the explosion he left a shot to be fired by the backshift deputy, who was one of the victims. Each deputy carried his own detonators.

Anthony Roddam, Foreshift deputy in the straight west district of the Towneley seam, said it was not possible for a shot to have been fired in the Towneley seam, either in coal or stone, at the time the accident happened.

The inquiry was adjourned until this morning.