16^th November 1910

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The Whitehaven Pit Disaster

Official Inquiry Opened

The coroner's inquest and the Home Office inquiry — the first which the Home Secretary has authorized under section 45 of the Coal Mines Regulation Act — into the Whitehaven pit disaster were opened conjointly at Whitehaven yesterday.

Mr. Edward Atter, the Coroner for West Cumberland, conducted the inquiry, assisted by Mr. R. A. S. Redmayne, Chief Inspector of Mines. Mr. Rigby Swift appeared on behalf of the Whitehaven Colliery Company ; Mr. A. Sharp, agent for the Cumberland miners, with Professor Galloway, Mr. Richards, M.P., and Messrs. Ernest Smith, John Hanlon, and Thomas Cape, appeared for the relatives of the dead men ; Mr. W. H. Chapman was present on behalf of the managers of the pit ; and Mr. W. S. Pope watched the proceedings on behalf of the Secretary of State and to assist the inquiry in conjunction with Mr. J. B. Atkinson and Mr. Abbott, Inspector of Mines.

The sitting was almost entirely occupied by the examination of Robert Blair, assistant general manager of the company's three pits. He stated that the fire was caused by a gas explosion.

The CORONER. — What was the cause of the gas explosion ? — There was a fall at No. 1 and No. 2 brakes in No. 3 north. So far as I can gather it seems to me that some gas must have come off with the fall, and that it got onto a lamp which had either been broken at the time or had not been in working order before.

Do you think it was a defective lamp that caused this ? — I am afraid I can come to no other conclusion.

Continuing, the witness said the origin of the explosion was clearly limited to three working places in No. 3 north, where in all nine men were employed. In Reed's working place four lamps were found, one of which was damaged. This looked as if it had been smashed, and he had a suspicion that it had been damaged before the explosion. There was a mark on it which suggested that it had been damaged by a pick.

Questioned as to the means adopted to cope with the fire at the friction gear, the witness declared that unless they had had men there ready with smoke helmets and water barrels they could not have extinguished it.

Mr. Richards examined the witness at considerable length, and pointed out, with regard to the condition of the goaf in No. 3 north, that in June and July, 1909, there were frequent reports of gas at No. 5 and 6 levels.

Mr. Redmayne drew attention to the fact that these reports were not made in the special report-book but in a general report-book.

The witness stated that was because the men were never withdrawn on account of the gas.

Mr. Richards said this was a most extraordinary statement. All the time gas was reported in this pit there was never any occasion upon which the men were withdrawn on account of the gas.

The witness, replying to further questions, said the effect of the gas explosion would be to raise a cloud of coal dust, and the flame would go into this and cause another explosion down the two brakes in No. 3 north and out to the friction gear. Probably if the roadway in No. 3 north had been kept free from dust the great majority of the men in the pit would have escaped. Had the men at the top and bottom of the shaft been given some elementary instruction as to what was necessary to be done, he certainly thought the fire might have been put out at the friction gear.

The inquest was adjourned.