29^th May 1951

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Pit Explosion Traps 78

One Man Rescued, Eight Bodies Found in Easington Disaster

Bishop At Pit-Head

by Sunderland Echo Staff Reporters

One of the 78 men trapped below ground in Easington Colliery after a violent explosion in the pit early to-day was brought to the surface seriously injured just before noon. The bodies of eight other men have also been found. The rescued man was 19-year-old Matthew Williams, of Ashton Street, Easington Colliery. He was taken to Ryhope General Hospital.

The explosion had brought tons of stone crashing down in the Duck Bill area of the Five Quarter Seam. Mr E. H. D. Skinner, Chairman of Durham Division of the National Coal Board. told reporters: "There is every evidence, I am sorry to say, that there has been a serious disaster. Of course, there is always hope and you can be assured that everything possible is being done."

The explosion occurred at 4.45 a.m., one-and-a-half miles from the shaft bottom, just as the fore-shift was going in the relieve the night-shift men. An official at 3 p.m. to-day said that rescuers "could not hope to get a clear picture of the chances of reaching the trapped men until 7.39 p.m."

Mr. Sam Watson, General Secretary of Durham Area of the N.U.M., told the crowd waiting at the pithead for news of the trapped men that 43 men who were working below ground when the explosion occurred, but who were not in the affected area, had remained below "as a typical example of the traditions of the Durham miners," to assist in rescue work. Mr. Watson read out the names of the 43 men.

Mr. Watson told the miners and their womenfolk to go home and wait. He told them that bulletins would be issued every three hours.

The alarm bells of ambulances racing to the pit early this morning had brought Easington people from their beds to stand in Abbot Street, outside the colliery.

Rescue squads from Elswick, Houghton, and Crook arrived before 5 a.m.

The Area General Manager, Mr. F. W. Fry, and the Area Production Manager, Mr. J. P. Hall, went down the shaft, and found that the explosion had been extremely violent.

An N.C.B. official said that rescue operations are "continuing under great difficulties." There have been heavy falls along the main intake roadway and rescuers are trying to get through by return roadway.

Rescuers using walkie-talkie apparatus are keeping in touch with a mobile wireless van on the surface.

Only comment made to a Sunderland Echo reporter by a weary, coal-begrimed rescue party leader when he returned to the surface and was asked what the conditions were: "Ruddy awful, mate."

Mr. E. H. Browne, Coal Board Director-General of Production, left Croydon by air for the pit at 9.15 a.m.

Among high-ranking officials at the pit are Mr. Jack Forster, General Treasurer of the Area, and Mr. Norman Nattrass, Durham Division Labour Director of the N.C.B.

The Bishop of Durham (Dr. A. T. P. Williams) arrived at the pit head later. Church of England clergymen, Roman Catholic priests, Methodist Ministers, and Salvation Army Officers were already there.

Mr. Shinwell, the Minister of Defence, in whose constituency the colliery is situated, sent the following telegram to the Secretary of the pit's Miners' Lodge, Councillor J. Reynolds, when he heard the news :—

"Have heard with great regret about the explosion at Easington Colliery. Trust position is not serious. If I can be of any assistance please advise me."

Rescue parties have been driven to within 1,000 yards of the coal face, where it is believed that the majority of the men are trapped.

A driving wind is being forced up roadways running parallel with the main road, and this, it is hoped, may clear the gasses and provide the trapped men with air.

One man who was believed to have been among the missing is safe. He is Alf Ritchie. After the explosion he made his way to the shaft bottom, and handed over his electric lamp to another man, who went in-bye to assist the rescue operations.

What led to the belief that Ritchie was missing was that the lamp had not been handed in to the lamp cabin, but in fact he had come up with other men in unaffected areas of the pit.

Mr. Parkin, of Thorntree Gill, Peterlee, resident of the new town, is believed to be one of the missing men. His wife had been waiting at the colliery since 6 a.m.

The Salvation Army was conducting a street service when shortly after 1 p.m. Lord Lawson, Lord Lieutenant of the County, arrived at the colliery.

A special meeting of the Miners' Lodge has been called for 7 p.m. and the men will be addressed by Mr. Sam Watson.

Easington Rural Council held a special meeting this morning.

It is understood that Council is proposing to launch an appeal for the relations of the dead. A special meeting for this purpose is likely to be called within the next few days.

Sunderland General Hospital has made arrangements to keep a number of beds in readiness for casualties. Sunderland Ambulance Service is also ready at a moment's notice to drop their normal work if necessary, and assist in carrying injured men to hospital.

"A Cloud of Black Gas"

George Williams (19), of Ashton Street, Easington Colliery, twin brother of the first man to be rescued alive from the pit, told The Sunderland Echo that he was also working underground at the time of the explosion.

The first he knew of an explosion was when a "great cloud of black gas came along the engine plane towards us."

He said that immediately he and two men working with him started to look for stretchers in order to go to the rescue of any men who might have been injured.

"I wanted to find my brother," he said.

But the explosion had upset the air current system of the colliery, and Williams was told to go to the surface.