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

10th October 1922

The Whitehaven Explosion

Opening Of Official Inquiry

The inquiry in the explosion at the Haig Pit, Whitehaven, on September 5, when thirty nine men were killed, was opened yesterday at Whitehaven. Colonel D. J. Mason, Coroner for West Cumberland, is conducting the inquiry, which has been merged in the inquest proceedings. Seated with the coroner was Mr. T. H. Mottram, Chief Inspector of Mines.

Great public interest was shown in the proceedings, the hall where the inquiry was held being crowded. Those present included Mr. H. Walker, Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines; Mr. R. J. Wilson, Divisional Inspector; Mr. Macquisten, K.C., M. P., and Sir Richard Redmayne, representing the Whitehaven Colliery Company; Mr. Herbert Smith, President of the Miner's Federation; Mr. H. Clarney, President of the Deputies' Federation; Sir John Cadman, President of the Institute of Mining Engineers; and Professor Granville Poole, of Leeds University.

Dr. D. C. Harris said that the men had died from the violence of the explosion of from burns, shock, or carbon monoxide poisoning. In some cases the body was burned all round. Douglas Fell, the mining student, was burned underneath the stockings, which were not charred. Where there was no charring the burns were due to superheated air or gas without flame.

Mr. Alexander Millar, under-manager at the Haig Pit, stated that when the accident occurred he was at the junction leading to the workings when it occurred, and he was blown about twenty yards and lost his lamps. A workman named Trevaskis, with whom he was talking, was blown into some empty tubs and had several ribs fractured. The air was very hot. He and Trevaskis made for the affected workings, but the fumes were very strong and they could not get to where the men were. Trevaskis complained of pain and said that he could not live in the fumes. There was no dust in the workings, which were so wet that water got into the tubs with the coal and the miners were paid for it.

In reply to Mr. WILSON the witness said that some of the workings produced gas.

Mr. WILSON — In view of that do you think it is the proper place to use explosives?

The witness replied that he would not take the responsibility of doing so, adding that there would be no shot-firing until the result of the inquiry was known.

The Lamps

Questioned further, he said that everybody with the exception of the deputies carried an electric lamp. None of the miners had a flame safety-lamp. He thought it would be wise for some of them to have flame safety-lamps.

Mr. HERBERT SMITH quoted the Mines Regulation providing that miners must examine their working places and asked how they could find gas with an electric lamp.

Mr. Millar said that they could not examine for gas with an electric lamp, but if in doubt they could always bring the deputy in to make an inspection.

Mr. SMITH — The miner is not supposed to presume there is any gas unless he sees some indication. Some people argue that they can smell it. I never could.

Mr. Millar — I think you can smell it.

Mr. MACQUISTER suggested that the regulation did not specifically deal with gas, and the CORONER said it was obviously a very arguable question.

Mr. SMITH quoted reports to show that gas had been practically continuous for some time before the accident. He said that if the miners had had flame lamps more of them would have been withdrawn. He elicited the information that the output was 250 tons a day, and than an average of 105 shots a day had been fired. "There have been too many shots fired in that pit any day for safety," he said. "If it continues there will be a second edition like this." (Cheers.)

When Mr. SMITH asked if the witness considered this a proper method of working. Mr. Millar reported by asking. "Is this the only mine that is firing shots?"

Mr. SMITH — If a mine went on like that in Yorkshire it would not be long before there was declared action.

Mr. CAPE alluded to the fact that the detonators were found on the haulage way after the explosion, and the witness admitted that they should have been with the deputy.

Sir JOHN CADMAN said that in describing what happened to him Mr. Millar had unconsciously given valuable evidence in connexion with carbon monoxide poisoning.

Replying to Mr. Macquisten, Mr. Millar said that the electric lamp was the best illuminant and generally regarded as safer than the oil lamp. He considered that the men were fully protected by the fact that the deputies had oil lamps. He did not consider that the number of shots fired was extravagant.

The inquiry was adjourned till to-day.

Newspaper transcript kindly provided by
West Cumbria Mines Research.