Article from the Chester-le-Street Chronicle, 1^st July 1932

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Pit Shaft Accident at Pelton Fell

Three Men Killed

Cage Plunges into Sump

The inhabitants of Pelton Fell were terribly shocked on Monday morning when it became known that an accident had occurred at the local colliery resulting in the death of three men. The victims were :—

MYSTERY CAUSE.

The pit which is owned by the Mid-Durham Coal Co., has been idle since last Wednesday owing to slackness of trade and the men, with a master-shifter named David Yorke, were descending the pump shaft to make an inspection of the pit and feed the ponies when the accident occurred. The cage became fast just below the Hutton seam and later crashed to the bottom of the shaft.

When the cage stuck fast Yorke managed to climb out to a level and telephone for assistance, but before anything could be done the cage with the three occupants had hurtled down the shaft. York received an injury to his right hand.

Two pitmen, George Harvey and James Wilson were working in the pit at the time and immediately went to the assistance of the three men.

They found Forster unconscious and after rendering first aid supervised his removal to the main shaft.

Redpath and Thompson were pinned among the wreckage of the cage.

TERRIBLY CRUSHED.

The alarm was given, and a rescue party and ambulance immediately descended the pit by the emergency shaft. Foster was alive, but terribly injured, and died soon after reaching bank. The body was taken to his home. It was four hours later before the bodies of Mr. Redpath and Mr. Thompson who were hurled into the sump, covered and brought to the They were terribly crushed. Mr. A. Rose, manager of the pit, assisted in the recovery of the bodies.

A large crowd gathered at the pithead when the news of the accident became known, and waited several hours in the rain until the bodies had been brought to the surface. As the stretcher-bearers passed in sad procession across the pit yard from the cage to the ambulance room with the bodies of Mr. Redpath and Mr. Thompson, the crowd stood with bared and bowed heads, and many women burst into tears.

Thompson had been unemployed for a year, and only a month ago secured his present post.

Previously he was employed at Springwell Colliery as a horsekeeper for 20 years. He leaves a widow and a daughter aged seven.

Forster, who leaves a young widow, is the second of his family to be killed in the same pit. His father was killed by a fall of stone 12 years ago.

Redpath had worked at the colliery since the age of nine. He began as a trapper boy, and worked his way up until he reached his present position 22 years ago. He leaves a widow and 10 children.

An inspection of the scene of the accident was made on Monday by a Ministry of Mines inspector.

Mr. M. H. Kellett, the colliery agent, interviewed after an inspection of the pit, said that the cause of the accident was still under investigation, but there was no suggestion of any defect in the machinery. The rope, he said, did not break.

Mr. Rose said that at present the cause of the accident was all a case of surmise.

Among the ambulance workers in the rescue party were Mr. J. H. Pigg and Mr. W. Askew, neighbours of two of the victims, Mr. Redpath and Mr. Forster.