Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	29th June 1892
Colliery:	Lumpsey (Ironstone)
Cause:	(See description below)
Lives Lost:	1

No. 4 on the list occurred at Lumpsey Mines, belonging to Messrs. Bell Brother, Limited, on the 29th June, about 7.30 a.m., causing the death of William Johnson, a miner.

This accident was caused by deceased contravening Special Rule No. 59. He had on the previous day drilled hole, and charged it as soon as he commenced work on the day in question. He then inserted the squib, lit it, and retired to a place of safety. Thinking it had missed fire he returned after waiting about two minutes, and had got within a yard or so of the shot when it exploded and killed him on the spot. Special Rule 59 says : "In case of the charge missing fore, he (the miner) shall not return to the place within five minutes." If deceased had not broken this rule, I should not have had this accident to record. It is one of a long list in these mines, which would not have happened if the specified time had been allowed to elapse before going back to shots which the unfortunate victims have imagined had missed fire. Little is gained by rushing back at once, and, as this accident shows, a fatal accident is very likely to occur.

Source:

1892 Mines Inspectors Report (C 6986), Durham District (No. 4) by Thomas Bell, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian

	Johnson, William, aged 46, Miner, explosion of a shot; he returned too soon to it after lighting the fuse, Buried: St. Margaret's Church, Brotton on 27 Jun 1892 {NBI}
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