[list-cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 15 Nov 1823 - Coal-mine Explosion at Rainton Colliery, Durham

Sat Feb 24 11:15:17 UTC 2024

Saturday 15 Nov 1823   (p. 3, col. 4)

FATAL COAL-MINE EXPLOSION. 

DEATH OF FIFTY-SEVEN PERSONS! 

Another of those dreadful explosions, which in spite of every precaution so often occur in coal-mines, took place about six in the
morning of Monday the 3rd instant, in the Plain Pit, Rainton Colliery, Durham, (belonging to the Marquis of Londonderry) when no
less than 55 men and boys were hurried into eternity, and two who survived the accident afterwards died, thus increasing the number
of deaths to 57. 

On the following day an inquest was held at Rainton, on view of the body of Thomas GOLIGHTLY, one of the sufferers (whose case was
of course applicable to the whole), before Peter BOWLBY, Esq. coroner. 

Richard COLE, an on-setter, stated that he descended the Plain Pit about 3 o'clock on Monday morning; that he was employed in fixing
corves to the chain of the rope of the pit from that time till about 6 o'clock, when the explosion took place; that a short time
before the accident happened, three boys, named LOWTON, JOHNSON, and ROBINSON, came to the shaft, and told witness that the "Daveys"
(the safety lamps) were standing on fire. About a minute afterwards an explosion took place, and immediately after it a second, the
fire and smoke ascended the shaft. Witness was stupified [sic] by the explosion; the first shock threw him down, but he was on his
legs when the second took place. After washing his mouth he revived, and he and several other men and boys ascended by means of the
rope which brought down the empty corves. Witness did not know, nor had ever heard any of the people who worked in the pit say that
the air was bad. 

William ROBINSON, one of the boys above named, acting as crane-man, and who had descended the pit about half past 6 o'clock on
Sunday evening, stated that about 5 o'clock on Monday morning he observed the wires of his safety lamp red hot, occasioned by the
burning of the air within the lamp; that in consequence he and those who were with him, drew the wicks of the lamps down into the
oil, and extinguished them. Witness was working 383 yards from the shaft, at a place called the "Clicking-in Crane." Before
extinguishing the lamps, witness and the others who were with him went to a Sideing (a passing place), about 15 yards from the
Crane;-there the lamps were put out. Before the air began to burn in the lamps, Wm. DAWSON, the head overman, was at the Clicking-in
Crane, and witness saw him go to another Crane which is further into the working. When witness was at the Sideing, Geo. ARMSTRONG
(whose business it was to see that the lamps were in proper order) came up. Witness told ARMSTRONG what had taken place. ARMSTRONG
desired him to stay, and went towards the Crane, when the inflammable air began to burn in his lamp. ARMSTRONG turned and said,
"Stop and I'll go and set this door open in the other way," and then went towards the shaft. Witness and those who were with him
then went to the shaft, as stated by COLE. Witness had never heard any of the people who worked in the pit say that the air was bad.

William CLAVERING, a putter, gave similar evidence. 

Nicholas DIXON, a collier, descended the pit on Sunday evening, and remained there till within two hours of the explosion-the air
was good all the time. He had, as was customary, examined the air course, and found all right; the doors were all in proper order,
and he considered the pit quite safe. 

Mark DAVISON, a wasteman, descended the pit about 3 o'clock on Monday morning, and remained there until after the explosion; was
beyond the Straight-in Crane, (which is further from the shaft than the Clicking-in Crane) examining the state of the air about 20
minutes before 5 o'clock; all was then right. Witness was in the workings at a distance from the Clicking-in-Crane, when he heard
the explosion. Had no idea what caused the accident. William DAWSON, the head overman of the pit was killed. 

After the evidence had been taken, Mr. BUDDLE, Lord Londonderry's head viewer, observed that this, unhappily, was by no means a
novel accident, but there were, nevertheless, no means of ascertaining how it took place. It might have occurred in many different
ways, and from a great variety of causes; but the most probable was, that the foul air had generated in some of the old workings,
and had been impelled forward by the falling in of part of the roof; and while in its progress, which he said could not by any
possibility have exceeded a yard in a second, had become ignited either through negligence, inadvertence, or by entire accident. Of
this, however, he was quite uncertain, as it was a subject upon which no opinion could be said to be correct. The calamity might
have been prevented if ARMSTRONG had been able to admit a current of pure air, before the inflammable matter had exploded, but, from
the distance he had to go before he could arrive at an air-door, nearly half a mile, there was not sufficient time for him to effect
that object of his endeavours. It might have been avoided, too, by BLACKBURN ordering the lights to be put out, and the mine laid
off work when he saw the danger; but DAWSON, the overman being in the pit at the time, he had no authority to do so without
consulting him on the subject. And he was the more warranted in not ordering the lamps to be extinguished without acquainting
DAWSON, because these puffs of foul air were of almost every day occurrence, and if the pits were to be laid off on every visitation
of that nature, there would not be one in which more than half a day's work would be performed. Under these circumstances, he
thought no blame attached to any one. 

The Coroner, in summing up the evidence, was of the same opinion. All in authority in the pit had perished; they had not shrunk from
the danger, and seemed to have exerted themselves to the utmost. 

The Jury returned a verdict of Accidental Death. 

Before the verdict was agreed on, Mr. BUDDLE adduced proof that no other lamp was used in the mine but the celebrated one of Sir H.
DAVY. 

Forty-four were buried at Houghton-le-Spring, eight at Painshaw, and five at Chester-le-street. 

At the time of the explosion there were about 80 men in the pit. Ten, who were in another part of the mine, escaped altogether, and
the remainder were very slightly hurt. One man, at work in a distant waste, was not conscious of what had happened till three hours
after. 

Of 18 horses which were in the mine at the time of the explosion, 12 were killed-the others, three of which were in the stables and
three in the workings, escaped unhurt. 

We understand, that foul air occasionally issued from the old workings, which was well known to the men employed in the colliery.
They were instructed when they discovered its presence, which was observable from the burning of the vapour within their lamps, to
reduce the flame by drawing down the wick, and if necessary to extinguish the light altogether, and make their way to the shaft. It
is supposed that the recent accident was occasioned by an overman proceeding through an explosive atmosphere to open a door for the
purpose of ventilation, and that he had either dropped his heated lamp amongst some hay, or had blown the flame through the wire
gauze in endeavouring to extinguish it. This, however, is merely conjecture. 

An affecting anecdote is related of Robert GIBSON, one of the boys saved. When he saw the lamps heated he went to his father and
desired him to make to the shaft and avoid danger: but he refused, and said he would abide by the overman. The boy then left him
with the observation, "Then father I must leave you, fore something is going to happen." He did so and was saved, but his father
perished. 

A circumstance is also related, which is highly creditable to one of the survivors. After the explosion, every one who was able of
course made his way to the shaft, and eagerly seized the rope which was to convey him to a more wholesome atmosphere. One man who
had thus secured his own retreat, observed at the moment of ascension a little boy within his reach, who was almost overcome by the
choak-damp; he seized him by the collar of his jacket, and bore him to the surface. 

A fatal accident occurred in the same pit seven years ago, when 28 men and boys were killed, and two died from suffocation in
endeavouring to find the bodies. 

Many of the sufferers have left numerous families; and the event has course caused the severest distress. A father, and his three
sons, perished together. 

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