Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	17th October 1899
Colliery:	Longacres (Ironstone)
Cause:	Fall of roof or side
Lives Lost:	1

No. 404 on the list occurred at Long Acres Mines, belonging to Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan, & Co., Ltd., on October 17th, and caused the death of a miner.

This accident was caused by a shot displacing two props under the end of a crossing baulk, at a place which had just been turned away. The deceased man and the man working along with him, after the shot exploded, returned to the place, and just as they got under the baulk the stone resting on it fell and covered the deceased man up, and killed him, and the other baulks fell and fastened his mate, but fortunately did not injure him seriously.

It appears to me if the men had gone carefully back they might have heard the stone working and thus got warning that it was likely to fall, but they appear to have anticipated no danger, and walked right under it.

In turning places away it is very necessary that the holes should be charged with as little powder as possible to lessen the risk of displacing the timber, and the holes themselves should be put in the best positions to avoid this occurring.

Source:

1899 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 134), Durham District (No. 4) by R. D. Bain, H.M. Inspector of Mines, from a copy held in the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange, Midlothian

	Johnson, Ralph, aged 31, Miner, He was turning away a place, the roof of which was supported by timber, and had fired a shot, which knocked out the piece of stone and punch prop supporting the baulk. He went into the place and did not notice this, and the top suddenly fell upon and killed him., Buried: Skelton Cemetery
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