Disasters - Names		Disasters - Names

Date:	7th November 1927
Colliery:	Eden
Cause:	(See description below)
Lives Lost:	3

An explosion of firedamp occurred on November 7th, 1927, at Eden Colliery, Durham, involving the loss of three lives, near the top of a rise drift from the Busty Seam to win the Towneley Seam, which was 2' 3" in section and in which a heading had been driven about 25 yards in length. The upper part of the cross measure drift was over an extensive area of goaf in the Busty Seam as shown on Plate I. This had broken the strata to some extent, and in consequence, the two deceased workmen, father and son, were employed in building brick side walls, near the top of the drift. A very distinct weight break from the Busty goaf edge was found in the drift, 38 yards above the Tilley Seam stenton (Plate I).

The Towneley Seam had not been worked at Eden Colliery previously, but it was extensively mined in the neighbourhood, and firedamp was unknown in it. The main and back drifts were ventilated by a separate split, air tubes 12" in diameter, suspended from girders or plugs, being in use in the main drift beyond the stenton in the Tilley seam (see Plate I). There was also a 2' compressed air main carried to a point about 16 yards from the face, with the usual hogger attached. Safety lamps were in use in the drifts, but mixed lighting was permitted in the Busty Seam. Workmen had been occasionally searched for prohibited articles but no searching had been done at the commencement of the shift on the morning of the explosion.

Owing to trade depression some of the Busty Seam districts had recently been reduced from three to one coal getting shift per day, and prior to this change the Towneley drifts were examined and reported upon by authorised deputies. The single coal getting shift commenced at 8 a.m. but owing to an oversight a few men, including the two masons working near the top of the main drift, continued to descend at 6 a.m. They were accompanied daily by an old and trusted official, who at his own request was employed in supervising special work but did not carry out the usual duties of an overman or deputy, or make reports.

The last shift worked in the drifts prior to the explosion was from 12 midnight to 7 a.m. on Saturday, but the deputy failed to make a report, either of the inspection before commencing work or during the shift.

The three victims descended the mine at 6 a.m. on November 7th, the official carrying a flame safety lamp and the two masons electric safety lamps. The explosion occurred about 6.45 a.m., and on a preliminary investigation if was found impossible to advance more than about 20 yards beyond the Tilley stenton up the main drift. Later about 9.40 a.m. the bodies were found very badly burned, in the positions indicated on Plate II, and carried down the drift to the fresh air base at the bottom by the rescue brigades. The pony was lying dead 15 yards below the brake wheel. The flame safety lamp was discovered near the elder mason (2) with the oil vessel removed, and undamaged except that the lamp ring was missing. The oil vessel was near to the overman (3) and a spent match was lying on the ground nearby; other spent matches were afterwards found in the vicinity, making it obvious that the requirements as to the use of locked safety lamps had not been observed.

A search of the men's clothing revealed matches and tobacco pipes in the pockets of the overman and elder mason. Although a candle holder was found in the end of the brickwork, and is shown on Plate II, it was probably in use in that position to hold the mason's line.

The origin of the explosion could undoubtedly be traced to the striking of a match in the presence of an inflammable mixture of firedamp near to the oil vessel, at a point about 35 yards from the face of the drift. Although firedamp had never been detected in the drift before the explosion, it was shown that by allowing the air to course through the Tilley stenton, thus cutting off the air from the Towneley seam, the upper part of the drift filled with firedamp back to the weight break from the Busty seam goaf, down which a considerable volume of air was pulling to the main return. There was very little evidence of violence in the Tilley Seam or indeed in the drift, except for displaced air tubes which fell to the ground and are shown on Plate II, until a point about 15 yards below the brake wheel was reached, the position in which the dead pony was found. Beyond this point, the air tubes were crushed and broken and flung for considerable distances outwards.

Very little carbonised dust was found in the Towneley Seam and it was invariably seen near the floor and on the inbye sides of props. Several samples of dust which had been carried in suspension by the blast, were collected from the inbye flanges of girders in the drift. The analyses showed from 7% to 12% of combustible matter and ranging from 31% to 39% of fine material capable when dry of passing a sieve with 200 meshes to the linear inch, the finest samples being furthest from the seat of the explosion. It was clear that the dust cloud raised by the initial firedamp explosion was unable to propagate flame, and that coal dust took little or no part in it.

It will be seen from Plate I that the Towneley drifts were started some distance from the main haulage road in the Busty Seam in an area where the bords and walls were driven before the stone dusting regulations came into force, and consequently were not treated with inert dust. Fortunately the initial flame from the drift did not reach these roadways, or the consequences might have been far more disastrous. It should be remembered that in many mines in close proximity to well stone dusted main roads, large areas of first workings exist which cannot be entered and treated with inert dust, and remain a potential source of danger. The Towneley Seam has always been recognised as being free from firedamp, and this evidently caused a considerable amount of laxity in matters relating to ventilation, safety lamps and inspection. By your direction, I instituted proceedings against the Manager, Undermanager, and a Deputy, who, on conviction, were ordered to pay £32 15s. 0d. in fines and costs, full particulars of which will appear in my next Annual Report.

Source:

1927 Mines Inspectors Report

	Davison, John, aged 74, Fore Overman, explosion of firedamp
	Dickson, Andrew, junr., aged 17, Mason, explosion of firedamp, son of Andrew senr.
	Dickson, Andrew, senr., aged 49, Mason, explosion of firedamp, father of Andrew junr.
	All names found

08 Nov 1927

Colliery Explosion in Durham, Three Men Killed (The Times)

 

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