COLLIERY EXPLOSION.
On Feb. 7 a disastrous and fatal explosion occurred at Whitfield colliery, the property of the Chatterly Iron and Coal Company, near Cheli, North Staffordshire. A number of men and boys were on night shift, and one of the boys mischievously set fire to a quantity of waste in the blacksmith shop at the bottom of the workings. This set fire to the coal-dust in the workings, and the men in the pit, seeing the danger, tried their best to put out the fire by stifling the roadways; finding this impossible, a man went to the surface and sent for the manager of the colliery, who with his two sons immediately went to the colliery, and sent directions to the bottom of the pit. Some time afterwards, finding the fire could not be got under, one of the sons got into the cage to descend, when a terrific explosion was heard, and fire and smoke immediately rushed up the shaft with a noise like thunder. The force of the fire lifted the cage some distance in the air, causing serious injury to the young man. The flames, which continued to burst forth at intervals, destroyed the whole of the head-gear, and set fire to the enginehouse, and the burning head-gear falling ou some coal trucks set fire to them. It is feared that several lives have been lost by this calamity.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PATM18810419.2.15
Bibliographic details
Patea Mail, 19 April 1881, Page 3
Word Count
233COLLIERY EXPLOSION. Patea Mail, 19 April 1881, Page 3
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in