Miner's Evidence Of Gas In Pit

Easington Inquiry

Mr. Harold Roberts, Chief Inspector of Mines, yesterday resumed his inquiry at Easington colliery, County Durham, into the explosion there on May 29, in which 83 men were killed.

Joseph Bartholomew, a deputy, gave evidence about a "blow" of gas into the mine two years ago. "The gas came from a vent in the roof, making a noise like an air raid siren," he said, "We ran out of the place, and the gas took two and a half hours to clear."

He agreed with Mr. S. Watson (representing the National Union of Mineworkers) that 63 detonators for shot-firing were found near the bodies of three deputies, though each should have had no more than 20, even if none had been used.

William Huggins, a deputy, said that he had fired shots in the roof to help to release supports jammed in by roof pressure. He agreed that this was against regulations, but said that all other means of withdrawing the supports had failed and the shotfiring had taken place only when it was considered safe to do so. The firing was ordered by a master shifter, one of the men who died in the explosion.

The inquiry will be resumed to-day.