Accident in Durham Mine

Three Men Killed

Durham, June 28

An accident occurred in the pump shaft at Pelton Fell Colliery to-day, resulting in the loss of the lives of three officials: Robert Ashmore Redpath, aged 63, under-manager; Christopher Thompson, 42, horsekeeper; and Thomas Forster, 29, clerk and storekeeper.

Since Wednesday the colliery had been idle owing to the slackness of trade, and the officials descended to inspect and feed the ponies at the Hutton landing 300ft. below the surface. George Harvey left the cage to attend the animals there, and consequently had a remarkable escape. On leaving the Hutton seam to descend a further 300ft., the wire rope became slack and the cage suddenly jerked downwards, pulling the rope taut, with the result that the three occupants were hurled into the water at the bottom of the shaft and fatally injured.

The alarm was immediately given and a rescue party went down another shaft. The first body to be recovered was that of Forster. It was brought to the surface and taken to his home. The pit manager, Mr. A. Rose, and the agent, Mr. M. H. Kellett, descended the pit to supervise the rescue party as soon as the accident became known. The men at Bank Harvey, who had a remarkable escape, descended the shaft and aided the rescue men.

Mr. Kellett, the agent, after a prolonged examination, said the cause of the accident was still the subject of investigation. There was no suggestion whatever of any defect in the machinery.