TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION. Loss of Sixty Lives.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 29, 22 December 1883, Page 3

TERRIBLE COLLIERY EXPLOSION. Loss of Sixty Lives.

On the eve of tiie departure of the mail a terrible explosion occurred at a colliery near Accrington, by which it 'is feared no fewer than sixty lives have been lost. The correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," wiring 1 on the 7th of November, says : — "A dreadful colliery explosion took place this morning at a local colliery situate at AUham, a small township in the Burnley Union, which it is feared has resulted in the loss of no fewer than sixty lives. The feeling created by such an unexpected occurrence taking place in North-East Lancashire, where gas explosions are almost unknown, can scarcely be described. The pit at which the calamity occurred is known as the Moorfield, being one of two owned and worked by the Altham Colliery Company. The second pit, the Whinney Hill, has been in operation about twelve years, but the Moorlield has only been working about two and a-half. The depth is k 2Q',l yards, and the seam of coal is from twenty-four to twenty-six inches in thickness. It has been sunk on the latest principle, and is worked from the shaft by two main drifts, one of which towards the east inclines slightly upwards, and that on the nortli downwards. The main ciiainway is fixed in the eastern portion of the works, and extends for about 180 yards. Safety lamps arc used, the quantity of gas produced from the workings being variable. Throo firemen wero employed^ in this mine, and in the morning at five o'clock they went as usual to their duties, which were to examine every heading and report if any danger was to be apprehended. The men and boys began to descend the pit from six o'clock, and by seven 111 had been let down, and had proceeded to their several workings. Coal began to be wound up in the usual manner, the cages being a double lift, and bringing eight tubs to the surface at once. Thomas Macintosh, the manager, went down about seven o'clock. Generally the firemen come out about eight o'clock, and at half-past eight it was remarked that they were later than usual. i At ten minutes to nine the explosion took place, at a fortunate moment for those working on the bank, for most of them were a short distance away from it emptying the waggons into the boats on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which runs beside the colliery. The firßt intimation was a loud report as if a whole salvo of artillery had been fired. A shaking of the earth was felt, followed by a large volume of smoke, which ascended like a pillar into the heavens : and the iron plates which surrounded the pit-mouth were upheaved, and men were thrown to the ground, one sitting at his breakfast in the yard ninety feet away having his cap blown off and his face peppered with coal-dust. When the explosion took place the cages were ascending and descending, the full one being about sixty yards from the top, and the other a similar distance from the bottom. The former was undisturbed, but the latter, notwithstanding itsmomentum, was stopped and blown back. One part of the cage left the conductors, tore up the framework, and became firmly embedded. "Intelligence was conveyed at once to the Whinney Hill Pit, at which a very busy scene was soon witnessed. The noise of tiie explosion had been heard throughout this mine, which adjoins the Moorfield, and is connected with it by a main road 1,200 yards long, known as the Billy-road. The Whinney Hill is 183 yards deep, and 136 men and boys were at work there. The main road is a decline to the other pit, and, the M oorfield shaft being blocked, this was the only way that the miners had to escape, and by which they could be reached. The ' hookers-on ' at the bottom of the shaft very soon ascended, being driven from their posts by the fumes which found their way up the main road. An exploring party was at once formed, and stayed down the whole day, working to rescue their comrades. Among the next gang that went down was

a grocer, who had worked in tho pit for twelve years, and left last summer through failing- health. Ho was accompanied by Alfred Marsdon and Thomas Clough, minors. These found Richard Walton, the fire-beater at tho bottom, acting an ( hoolcer-on ' for the uninjured hands, who were wound up with great rapidity. The rescuors made their way down the Billy-road, and met in their way several miners and boys, who were making for the shaft. All who were encountered were interrogated as to whether they could do without -help, and receiving lan affirmative reply, tho explorers passed on. The grocer, James Ki&hton, pressed forward, ! and obtained aview of the bottom of the shaft of the Mooriield Pit, when he met with a sufferer, and returned with him. A considerable number of men seem to have clustered about the shaft, for four or five were blown into the sump-hole, which contained a quantity of water. Fortunately, these were dragged out. The work of bringing up the injured was proceeded with as quickly as possible, the dead being placed carefully on one side. " The scone on the bank of the Whinney Hill Pit was heartrending. The wives and mother's of the unfortunate miners gathered round the mouth, and made anxious inquiries about their near relatives. The i operations on tho surface were conducted under the superintendence of Mr Macalpino, j the managing partner, to whom the news of i the accident was made known as ho was driving to the colliery. Mr Alderman Barlow was also summoned, and he and his daughters were soon on the spot, and rendered valuable aid to the sufferers. There was a large staff of medical gentlemen soon in attendance. Over an hour elapsed after the explosion before the first batcli of the injured were brought to the surface. They numbered half-a-dozen, of whom two w ere boys. All of them were burnt, some rather seriously. They were carried into tho engine-house close by, and after being attended to were removed homo. To those on the pit bank, to whom a minute seemed an hour, the work of the explorers appeared to progress very slewly. After a time, however, more of the injured were brought to tho top. They were covered with blankets, and tea or stimulants were administered, everything being done to relieve their suiferings. Among the cavly arrivals was a poor boy, who seemed to have I sustained only slight hurts, but who, unfortunately, had lost his sight. Asked it ho could recognise his comrades, he replied that he could not see, and became fretful. The doctors consoled him as best they could, and assured him that he might again possess the use of his eyes Another little tellow was so terrified that he covered his head and face with the blanket, and the medical men tried in vain to induce him to release his hold. A third youth, who had had a wonderful escape, reported that in coming to the shaft he had to walk over dead "bodies, which were lying about in all directions. Then for a while very few of the wounded were brought to the .surface, but after twelve o'clock the effort* 1 of the explorers wero more successful, and by one o'clock about forty miners had been taken out, all more or less hurt. Two of them were suffering from fractures in the skull, and other* from broken limbs | and cut legs, but the majority from burns about the' head, face, hands, and legs. Their bodies were almost entirely without clothing, and presented a pitiful appearance. Some of the sufferers were able to proceed home unaided, but the bulk of them were conveyed in cabs. " At two o'clock it was reported that all the injured, thirty-six in number, had been brought to the surface. A painful time followed, and the crowd, increasing hourly, continued to watch tho cage come to the top of the shaft in tho hope that other I bodies might be recovered, but in vain. Latest telegrams state that the fust dead body was brought up at a quarter to five, and' was followed in quick succession by seventeen others, all being carried from the cage to the smithy, where they were laid out for identification. About half -past six o'clock, when more than an hour had ' elapsed, it began to be realised by the j anxious ci'owds at the bank that the rest of the unfortunate men who went down to work in the morning must be given up as lost. One of the saddest incidents related by the exploring- party is the case j of Mr Thomas Macintosh, the certificated manager. This unfortunate gentleman was traced to a spot behind a mass of' fallen coal, where he practically was entombed. The exploreis could hear his cries for help, but notwithstanding their furious efforts to remove the obstruction they were unable to reach the poor fellow before he succumbed to his injuries and the foul gases which had accumulated where he lay. At ten o'clock it was known that sixty-three lives had been lost. Twentyfour dead bodies had been taken out, while a similar number awaited bringing up. Some days may elapse before the whole of the coipses are recovered. As night approached bonfires were lighted on the banks and in the pit-yard, and their lurid glare lent a weird appearhnce to the scene. Another account states :— " The Moorfield Pit is not a deep one, the shaft being lcbS than 300 yards. It consists of two main headings driven through the thin coal. One of these runs about 180 yards in an easterly direction, and the other to the north. Most of the men were in the first heading and the branches which had been run off it, and there, at four o'clock, they remained, the explorers having been unable to reach them. They are imprisoned by a large fall of roof near the bottom of the shaft, which has completely blocked them in. In the north heading several injured,men were found. One of the survivors from this part of the mine expressed the belief that the full force of the explosion was felt in the other heading, and that the concussion, which was severely felt where ho was, was only an afterclap. The seam of coal which is hero worked is not generally considered fiery. It is known as the Gannister seam, which crops up very early and gives off much less gas than is encountered either in the Wigan or Barnsley fields. Nevertheles, safety lamps were used, and every precaution was taken to secure adequate ventilation. Whilst the explorers were down the pit two blacksmiths descended tho blockedup shaft. They were let down by a single wire from a central pulley, which was attached to the head-gear. They found that the cage had been driven out of the conductors, had broken through the bratticing, and had wedged itself fast against the timber below it. The side plates which held up the shaft were blown away. The exploring party in the meantime sent up the injured as fast as they were able, and by three o'clock 48 had been rescued. All of these were more or less burned, and had suffered from the effects of the after-damp. In addition to this, they had sustained generally severe scalp wounds and cuts on their limbs, caused either by being thrown down by the shock of the explosion or falling in their hurried attempts to escape over the wreckage which blocked the way. Until three o'clock the injured men and boys were being sent up, but after that time a long interval elapsed, and it was feared that none of the others in the pit had escaped. There were then sixty-seven men in the workings, including the certificated manager and the

throe deputios, and it. is believed that all of them are imprisoned in the main level which runs from tho bottom of the Moorfield shaft."