Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	27th August 1855
Colliery:	Newfield, Grey Pit
Cause:	Explosion
Lives Lost:	1

On 27 August, John Forster, Anthony Atcheson and Richard Hopper were going to work in the old pit shaft at Newfield Colliery. Later, Forster was bringing some plates and timber out of the Grey Pit shaft, and the other two men had gone about 200 yards when they heard a fall and were both knocked down and lay unconscious. Forster, who was about 12 to 14 yards from the shaft, was severely burnt over nearly the whole of his body; his lamp was found 40 yards away from him. He was taken home where he died on 6 September from ‘inflammation of the lungs caused by burning.’ Before he died, he said he had his candle stuck up and was loading the train with old deal boards between the brattice slipping and the door when the explosion took place. The men had been ordered not to work without safety lamps. At the inquest no cause could be given for the explosion.

(Bishop Auckland Herald)

Source:

Text kindly provided by Jim Grainger from his research into early newspapers (primarily the Durham Advertiser and Durham Chronicle).

	Forster, John, explosion
	All names found
	Some of the names of mining fatalities on this web site have been kindly provided by Jim Grainger from his research into early newspapers (primarily the Durham Advertiser and Durham Chronicle) and are marked with .

 

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