| Date: | 6th December 1773 |
| Colliery: | North Biddick |
| Cause: | Explosion |
| Lives Lost: | 19 |
About noon, the foul air, in an old waste of a colliery, near the River Wear, took fire, and breaking down the barrier or partition between the waste and the working pit, made most awful explosions. The pit was 80 fathoms deep, and every thing in the way of the blast was thrown out of the shaft to the height of 200 yards in the air. Most of the pitmen having just in time discovered the danger, were drawn up and escaped unhurt, but some boys and one man who were left beind, lost their lives, and also four horses were torn to pieces, and were thrown to an astonishing height in the air. Most dreadful explosions continued all the day at about five minutes' distance.
| Source: | Local Records or Historical Register of Remarkable Events by John Sykes, Published in 1833 in two volumes |
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