Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	30th October 1902
Colliery:	Eston (Ironstone)
Cause:	(See description below)
Lives Lost:	1

No. 389 occurred at Eston Mines, belonging to Messrs. Bolckow, Vaughan & Co., Ltd., on October 30th, and caused the death of a miner.

The deceased man, and the man working with him, had a powder shot in their place which they had lighted and then retired to a safe distance. It did not explode as soon as they expected, and without waiting the time specified by the Special Rule, viz., 5 minutes, they both returned to see what was wrong. They saw the squib glowing : one man ran back, and saved himself; but the deceased tried to rush past, and, just he was in front of the shot, it exploded, and a piece of stone hit him on the head and fractured his skull.

Why men should be so careless as to go back to a lighted shot immediately after they think it should have exploded, apart from its being a distinct breach of the Special Rule, I cannot comprehend.

Nothing is gained by doing so but, on the other hand, a great risk is run of their receiving fatal or serious personal injury.

Source:

1902 Mines Inspectors Report (Cd 1590)

	Anderson, George, aged 33, Miner, deceased and his mate had lighted a powder shot which they thought had missed fire ; both of them, without waiting the proper time, went back to see if it had done so, when it suddenly exploded, and a piece of stone struck Anderson on the back of the head and fractured his skull, died the same day
	All names found

 

 Return    Return to Top