Durham Mining Museum - Jesse Cresswell (original) (raw)

In my last report I briefly described an explosion which occurred on December 13th, 1927, at the Haig Pit, Cumberland, causing the deaths of two deputies and two workmen. As a result of a fire caused by that explosion the two inbye districts, viz., Nos. 2 and 3, had to be sealed off before the fourth body had been recovered.

The whole pit remained idle for nearly two months, and as all indications pointed to the fire being extinguished it was decided to attempt to recover the sealed area, and notices were given by the Colliery Company to interested parties that the seals would be broken at 1 p.m. on Saturday, 11th February, 1928.

It was decided to explore the inbye district (No. 3) first, and after opening the return stopping and partly isolating the middle district (No. 2) the main intake stopping was opened and the gas gradually cleared until a point was reached when it was possible to send rescue men forward to the place where a fire was known to have broken out in December. The rescue team returned and reported the fire out and the place cool, and brought back pieces of coke and charred timber. This work had taken from 1 p.m. to about 11 p.m.

Further progress was made up to a little after midnight, when a series of explosions took place (some say three and others four), one of which was extremely violent, blowing outbye for about 100 yards the brick and cement stopping walls on the main intake. The rescue team and other persons stationed on the outbye side of the district managed to escape, but the 13 explorers actually in the No, 3 District at the time perished. A gallant attempt was shortly afterwards made by a rescue party to penetrate the district, but owing to the main intake being completely blocked by falls, and the grave risk of a further explosion, it had to be abandoned and the area temporarily stopped off again.

After consultations the following day, when I was fortunate in having the assistance of the Chief Inspector of Mines, and as a result of a joint inspection of the pit on the 14th February, it was decided again to seal off the two districts, and up to the time of writing this report the seals have not been broken.

Mr. (now Sir) Henry Walker, C.B.E., H.M. Chief Inspector of Mines, held an inquiry at Whitehaven on March 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th last, at which he took all available evidence up to the time of resealing the areas after the February explosion.

Work was resumed in the No. 1 District on April 23rd, 1928, and has continued without interruption up to date.

The list of persons whose bodies are still in the sealed area is as follows :—

• Northumberland & Cumberland Mining Disasters by Maureen Anderson, Published by Wharncliffe Books, 2009, ISBN 1-845630-81-5

• 1928 Mines Inspectors Report

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