Fire damp occurs naturally in coal deposits and is released during mining operations. It consists mainly of methane which is highly inflammable and which will explode when mixed with air and exposed to a naked flame.
All mining areas have felt the disastrous consequences of gas explosions. The worst disaster in the Wigan area happened at the Maypole Colliery in Abram where just after five in the afternoon on Tuesday, August 18th 1908, an explosion killed 75 miners. This was not the worst disaster of the Lancashire Coalfield. On December 21st 1910, 344 men and boys died in the Pretoria Pit disaster at Hulton Colliery, Westhoughton.
King Pit Explosion, Pemberton Colliery 11th October 1877
Extract from the Wigan Observer", 19th October, 1877.
"A cloud of dust and smoke shortly after one o'clock told those near that a terrible explosion must have happened. Knocking was at once heard from below and quickly the cage was lowered. It was then learned that a fearful explosion had taken place in the 9ft seam."
"Clouds of dust and smoke" are often the first sign that a serious explosion has happened below ground. In this instance 32 miners had been killed.
But that is only the beginning of the story. A rescue party of 10 brave volunteers was formed and immediately went underground. Several survivors were rescued immediately but the rescue party itself soon experienced great danger.
After damp is the expression used for a cocktail of lethal gasses which is formed after an explosion of methane. The combination of after damp varies according to circumstances but usually contains the two lethal gasses, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Neither can be detected by smell or sight so their presence is only suspected when the often lethal, effects are felt.
The King Pit rescue party consisted of managers, surveyors and foremen. As such they were intelligent men experienced in mineworking. They were all well aware of the dangers of after damp.
Three of them:
W.J.L. Watkin, aged 38, the agent in charge of the colliery workings;
Richard Finley Cook, aged 45, certificated manager;
Robert Laverick, aged 39,underlooker;
paid the ultimate price.
They were killed by after damp.
Here is the Wigan Observer's version of the events:
"Shortly after 2 o'clock Messrs. Watkin, Cook and Laverick, determined to push forward into the workings with the hope of saving some of the men. After waiting for some time the party who remained behind became alarmed owing to their not hearing from the gentlemen who had gone forward. As none of them had returned it was determined that a search should be made, a start was made for the purpose. Reaching a jig brow almost 200 yards from the moult of the workings and 100 yards from the main airway, they were horrified to find the managers lying in an unconscious state. Their bodies were carried to the main airways and word was sent to the surface for medical help. Mr. Barnish of Wigan and Messr. Johnson and Hartley of Pemberton, surgeons, volunteered to go down and were lowered into the mine and taken to the spot where the insensible gentlemen were lying. At first sight the surgeons were of the opinion that death had taken place... Artificial respiration was resorted to without effect and their efforts were eventually abandoned as hopeless."
The Wigan Observer 19th October, 1887 lists 35 killed but the memorial card pictured above lists 36. The memorial card, however, contains an obvious error as it states that Mr. Watkin was 86 years old when in fact he was aged 36. There are other discrepancies between the two lists.
It is sad to note that three of the dead were boys aged only 13 and another was just 14.
Golborne Colliery Explosion Sunday, 18th March 1979
Two hundred years after the King Pit explosion a tragedy occurred at Golborne Colliery.
Once more clouds of dust were the first indication that something serious had happened. Miners nearby also describe hearing two muffled thuds", and sensing a momentary reversal of air" and feeling a popping of the ears."
On the night shift of Saturday 17th/18th March a damaged fan had been found. The ventilation system was subsequently switched off, resulting in a build up of fire damp. This was carefully monitored.
On Sunday 18th March, a team of eleven were working to restore the system. At about 11.15 in the morning there was an explosion. Three men were killed and seven later died in hospital. Of the working party of 11 only one person, the apprentice electrician, survived. The deputy manager of the mine initiated emergency procedures. Men working in other parts of the mine were withdrawn and the Boothstown rescue brigade were summoned
Few Wiganers will forget that week. National news programmes opened their bulletins with progress reports on the injured miners. Tony Benn, the energy secretary, visited Golborne. As did Joe Gormley, the general secretary of the National Union of Mine Workers. Joe had several good reasons for being there. He was born in Wigan and his son was part of the rescue team.
The following is a short extract from the Daily Telegraph from Monday 19th March, 1977:
Three dead, Eight Hurt in Gas Explosion"
"Three miners were killed and eight seriously burned in a methane explosion 600 yards below the surface at Golborne Colliery, near Leigh, Greater Manchester, yesterday. All were electricians or development workers on ventilation maintenance work on a new seam roadway."
Afterthoughts
The King Pit explosion occurred at a time when such events, if not commonplace, were relatively frequent. This particular explosion was nothing unusual and the death toll not the worst either in Wigan or the surrounding district. Mining was a dangerous occupation. Technology and safety procedures were still relatively unsophisticated.
But more than two hundred years later, another explosion underlined the fact that mining still is a dangerous occupation, in spite of up to date equipment and modern working practices. The report by H.M. Inspectorate of Mines and Quarries describes Golborne colliery as being equipped with:
"...a tube-bundling mine air monitoring system which permitted remote sampling of mine air for firedamp and carbon monoxide at 11 minute intervals from three points."
This did not prevent the terrible tragedy.
The inquest into the King Pit disaster said that the explosion had been caused by a "blown out shot". Sir Frederick Abel, an expert in the field at the time describes a "blown out shot" in the following way:
..."either when a blast hole is overcharged, or when the preponderating strength of the material (is too great) ... the tamping being projected from the hole like a shot from a gun."
The report by H.M. Inspectorate of Mines and Quarries into the Golborne disasters came to the following conclusions as to the cause of the explosion:
The explosion resulted from the ignition of an explosive firedamp/air mixture..."
"The excessive delay of 10 - 15 hours in restoring the ventilation... resulted in the build up of a high concentration of firedamp..."
The cause of ignition was an incendive spark produced at two exposed live connector pins in an ancillary plug..."
The jury at the King Pit inquest restricted their recommendations to discontinuing firing of shots in the day time, or whilst the men are at work..."
The recommendations given by HMI MQ after the Golborne explosion were much more elaborate and mostly involved safety procedures.
Perhaps these made the mines a little safer.
But I think mining is still a dangerous occupation.