Elswick Colliery

Miscellaneous Notes and Incidents

In firing a shot by battery the injured person, a deputy, did not retire far enough and as the shot was blown out he was slightly burned.

Source: 1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.

A shot close to the roof and near the centre of a wide bord was charged with 4/9 lb. of special Bulldog gunpowder and was fired by means of an exploder and battery by the deputy who retired about 10 yards from the spot and 4 yards along the headways. The shot was partially blown out, and appears to have ignited gas which burnt the hewer who was standing nearly erect 2 yards further away from the shot than the deputy who, kneeling at the battery, escaped. The place was making gas freely. The shot pointed away from the direction in which the men retired.

Source: 1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590), Newcastle District (No. 3) by J. B. Atkinson, H.M. Inspector of Mines, copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian.