| Date: | 16th February 1925 |
| Colliery: | Esh |
| Cause: | (See description below) |
| Lives Lost: | 1 |
A singular accident occurred at Esh Colliery, Durham, causing the death of a putter. The seam was 20 in. thick and was worked double stall. A rib of coal between two stall roads which should have been 12 yds. thick, was only 7 yds. thick at one point, owing to the stall roads being badly driven. A portion of this rib, 6 yds. wide, was being taken back on the retreating system from one of the stall roads. On this retreating face the deputy fired three shots separately, each charged with 12 oz. of explosive, the last one being fired in the corner and within 1 yd. of the adjacent stall road. Nothing unusual was heard or seen. When the deputy visited the adjoining road a few minutes later, he found deceased lying dead with his skull badly fractured, but with no other external injuries. His body was in line with the retreating face. Although the last shot had not actually blown through, the only explanation to account for the accident was that deceased had been killed by the concussion from the shot. It is very probable that deceased had been leaning with his head against the narrow rib of coal when the shot went off.
| Source: | 1925 Mines Inspectors Report |
| | Argent, A. F. C., aged 29, Putter, explosion |
| |
All names found |
Return
Return to Top