Warren Vale Colliery Disaster
The Inquest
On 31st December 1851, Mr. Morton having explained the cause of the explosion went on to suggest what precautions would be necessary to prevent the recurrence of such a disastrous event, which was applicable to mines in general, and worth special attention.
Statement by Mr. Morton
"It will be needful in future, when a new bank is opened out, to light it for some time entirely with safety lamps until the roof has become freely broken down. It is reasonable to conclude that if the No 3 bank, which was comparatively a new one, had been worked with safety lamps, the recent calamity might have been avoided. The trap doors have hitherto been only single in this pit; they ought to be double, so as to prevent leakage of air. The supply of fresh air at present is conveyed around this pit in one current only, but it will be needful here long to divide it into 2 or more separate streams, by which the total quantity of air will be greatly augmented; all obstructions in the airways and shafts, such as corves and cages, should be removed at night, and cages with open grating instead of solid bottoms are always preferable. It is dangerous to continue the goafs of this pit in their present stagnant condition, and in future it will be much safer to allow a portion of fresh air to pass through them and thus prevent them from being what they are now, extensive gas holders.
It is well known that several of the great explosions during the last few years at Haswell and around Barnsley have been more or less augmented by, if they have not originated in, the pent-up firedamp of the goafs. Any future emergency in this pit, and we know not how soon it may come, must in my judgement be met either by greatly increased ventilation or by the exclusive use of the safety lamp.
It is not difficult, if fairly attempted, to triple the quantity of air now passing through this mine by a modification of the existing ventilating arrangements. The airways are at present sufficiently large, their sectional area being from 30 to 50 square feet. The staple pit which connects the thick coal works with the ventilating furnace is too small in diameter, its sectional area being less than that of the underground air roads. The smallest diameter of this staple pit is six feet, and it should be increased to nine feet at least.
The furnace ought to be entirely removed from the five feet mint into the thick coal below, and the present downcast shaft converted into an up cast, and vice versa.
According to existing arrangements, the up cast column is not only the smallest in diameter but the shortest in length, and to make the ventilation effective these conditions should be completely reversed. At the same time it will be advisable to sink a new air pit, which might hereafter be used as a drawing shaft, from the surface down to five feet mine, at or near the face of the north-west levels in the seam, for the purpose of airing the five feet works separately.
Eventually the thick coal shaft, which is of ample diameter and about twice the depth of the other pit, would become the up cast for the whole system. As the thick coal is now known to disengage suddenly abundant feeders of inflammable gas, it will be safer in future to exclude as much as possible naked lights from the return airways, and to avoid passing the return air over the furnace.
The proposed new furnace in the thick coal may be supplied with fresh air only, and the ventilated and gaseous atmosphere of the mine may be passed up an inclined drift into the up cast shaft without coming in contact with the flames at all.
I feel quite satisfied that those recommendations and suggestions, if carried into effect, would greatly tend to improve the general condition and safety of this mine, and I am equally satisfied that Messrs. Charlesworth, with advantage to themselves as well as to the workmen, will act wisely in adopting them. I ought, in justice to them, to say that they possess the power and also the inclination to carry into effect the suggested reforms and improvements in their works, and I have every reason to believe, from the manifestations which I have seen of Messrs. Charlesworth's wish and anxiety to avoid accidents in their pits, that they will, as early as practicable, commence and gradually carry out some, and it may be all, of the suggestions which I have offered to-day, And, so far as my humble aid will tend to promote this very desirable object, I shall at all times be only too glad to afford it.
In reply to the Coroner and jury, Mr. Morton further stated he was clearly of opinion the explosion had been caused accidentally by the fall of the roof in No. 3 bank, which drove out the gas on the lights. If the ventilation were tripled it was possible a similar fall might produce a similar result, but in his opinion it would not have that effect.
Mr. Benjamin Byram, of Wentworth, Mineral Agent to Earl Fitzwilliam for nearly 20 years, said that he, with Mr. Morton, Mr. T. D. Jeffcock, Mr. Locke, Mr. Webster, and other gentlemen, inspected the new nine feet pit at the Warren Vale colliery the previous day, for the purpose of ascertaining the origin of the explosion, and that they found strong evidence that the fire had extended through nearly the whole of the workings.
From the state of the third bank, from the direction which the blast appeared to have taken from that point, he was decidedly of opinion that the first ignition of the gas was in the third bank. Although he agreed fully with the excellent evidence of Mr. Morton as to the want of caution in the men being allowed to descend with and immediately after the fireman, he was still of opinion that he might have gone down, returned to the surface, and reported the pit safe, and the accident still might have happened from the falling of the roof after the men had got to work.
He thought the quantity of air circulating through the pit yesterday was quite enough for a mine of such limited extent, Where the area of the passage was six feet nine inches by seven feet six inches, the lineal velocity of the air was 250ft per minute, equal to 11,400 cubic feet.
In material points he concurred with the evidence of Mr. Morton.
The witness stated he could not impute criminal blame to anybody, but was of opinion there had been a general laxity of discipline in examining and reporting on the state of the pit, arising from the opinion that there was no inflammable gas in it.
The slackening of the furnace at night could not have caused any considerable accumulation of gas in the airways.
Mr. T. D. Jeffcock, General Colliery Surveyor, of Sheffield; Mr. C. Locke, of Snapethorpe, Mineral surveyor; and Mr. R. C. Webster, Colliery Viewer for Mr. Day, of Durham, concurred in all particulars with the statements and evidence of Mr. Morton and Mr. Byram.
In the course of the inquiry a juror asked Mr. Morton whether he had power to descend and examine all the coal-pits in his district.
Mr. Morton said undoubtedly he had that power, but if he was to begin now it would occupy him 2 or 3 years unremittingly to make a personal inspection of all those pits. His whole time was pretty near taken up by occasions like this.
The Coroner remarked that under the act of Parliament of the session of 1840, there were only 4 inspectors of mines appointed, and experience had proved that the number was decidedly too low. Mr. Morton, for instance, had about 2,000 or 3,000 coal pits in his district, which consisted of the counties of York, Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, and Warwick.
The Coroner further observed that it was his intention to confer with Government with a view to the appointment of additional inspectors, in order that there might be an occasional anticipatory examination of mines, without which it would be impossible to prevent calamitous accidents.
Statement by Mr. Charlesworth
At the close of evidence Mr. Charlesworth rose and said, the jury would probably wish to know what part he and his partners took in the management of the colliery. The fact was that, having a number of collieries, some of them situated at considerable distances from each other, a personal superintendence was impracticable. That being so, they gave their orders to Mr. Goodison, that the ventilation should be well attended to, and that the safety of the mines should be sedulously taken care of. They, the proprietors, take as much interest in the safety of the mine, and they wished the miners to know it, as they would in the welfare of their own children, and in doing that they considered that they did no more than their duty.
In pursuance of the suggestions made by different gentlemen who had given evidence, and what he heard before the coroner at the opening of the inquest, they had already issued orders to their men that no one should be allowed to descend till the works had been reported safe, and had determined that the discipline of the pit should be strictly observed, as far as it lay in their power to enforce it. He could only say, in conclusion, that any suggestions and any reasonable alterations that Mr. Morton, Mr. Byram, or any practical men in whom he had confidence might be pleased to name, the proprietors would be very glad to carry out as far as practicable. It was their intention also to call in competent viewers to view not only their pits at Rawmarsh, but to go with their viewer, Mr. Goodison, to see that the pits in the Wakefield and Barnsley district were in a state of good and proper ventilation; and if Mr. Morton would accompany them the proprietors would be very glad to see him at the same time.
Mr. Morton agreed to do so.
Mr. Charlesworth added that he was very glad to have had the opportunity of hearing the evidence given to-day by Mr. Morton and Mr. Byram, and he wished to thank publicly both rich and poor who gave their valuable aid.
The inquest was then adjourned. continued
