Durham Mining Museum - Newspaper Articles (original) (raw)

Annual Register for 1860

Article from the Annual Register for 1860, 2nd March 1860, Page: 25, Column: 2

Explosion At The Burradon Coal-Pit

Seventy-Six Lives Lost

Another fearful coal-mine explosion has occurred, by which the lives of seventy-six men and boys have been lost. The Burradon Colliery is near the Killingworth station of the North-Eastern Railway, not far from Newcastle. It is an old pit in the Wall's End group, and formerly belonged to Lord Ravensworth and partners, but recently worked by Messrs. Bowers and Co., of Leeds. The workings extend for many miles, and the main seams having been exhausted, the "broken," i.e. the large pillars of coal that had been left after exhausting the sections of the main, were being wrought in the more distant parts of the pit; in other parts the "whole," or untouched portions of the seams were being worked. Between seventy and eighty men were employed in the former working, and between thirty and forty in the latter. The pit, being on the low main, had a bad reputation, as being fiery and dangerous ; but, not withstanding this evil fame, although the men engaged on the "broken" worked by the light of Davy's safety lamps, those who were engaged on the "whole" used open candles.

In the afternoon of Friday, March 2, a slight explosion took place in the "whole," or unbroken coal, and soon after another and more powerful blast swept through the workings. Those who escaped death from the fiery blast hastened to escape the deadly choke-damp which follows, and by rushing along the passages, those who had a sufficient knowledge of the works, reached the shaft and escaped. The force of the explosion was felt up the shaft and on the bank, and made known that a great calamity had befallen. An awful wail arose from the villages and cottages of the pit-men — women and children rushed towards the pit-mouth, shrieking and wringing their hands, while the men from all the neighbouring works hurried to afford aid. As soon as the shafts were safe, a few brave men descended, and penetrated, without much difficulty, to the top of the incline, finding one dead lad and several dead horses. Here their progress was stopped by a large mass of coal that had fallen from the roof. When this obstruction had been cleared away, and sufficient ventilation secured, they passed on, and, on the other side, found the corpses of seventeen poor fellows, who had been stopped by the fall, and had perished of the chokedamp. Before the pit could be further penetrated, it was necessary that effectual measures should be taken for thoroughly ventilating the workings ; and when progress had been thus made safe, the search was renewed, and the extent of the disaster ascertained. In one spot a large number of the miners were found in a heap — in the hurry of their retreat one had fallen over a tub, and the others falling upon him, and being unable to recover themselves, owing to the effect of the choke-damp, they all perished on that spot. Others were found in various parts of the workings, as they had fallen and died in their flight. It would appear that though many had been killed and scorched by the explosion, the greater number perished of the choke-damp. The dreadful misery of the inhabitants of the district cannot be described. Some families had lost the father, the brother, or several brothers — some father and brothers together — none but had lost some near relatives. Of one family, all the males perished. The aspect of the country on the following Sunday was most saddening. From the cottages, and along the paths, were seen to stream numerous funeral trains, some crossing each other as they wended their way to the parish churchyard, or the burial-grounds of the different chapels. The coffins were carried, several together, in carts, and trains of mourners — the relatives and fellow-workmen of the deceased — followed in long processions ; the burial-grounds were crowded with dense masses as the corpses were consigned to the graves. In all, seventy-six persons perished by this terrible disaster.

So great a calamity naturally excited the greatest commiseration, and a considerable sum was subscribed for the relief of the widows and children of the deceased.