Cadeby Pit Disaster of 1912

Discussions in House of Commons

Mr. W. E. Harvey Labour M.P for Derbyshire N.E, on the day following the accident, asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he could give give the latest information to the House with regard to the explosion at Cadeby Colliery, as to how many lives were lost and how many were injured, and what provision he intended to make for the representatives of Home Office at the inquest, and for the inspection of Cadeby Colliery with a view to ascertaining the cause of the explosion, seeing that the Chief Inspector and two of his assistants had lost their lives in a second explosion while assisting in rescue work.

Mr. McKenna M.P. for Monmouth N. - I am sure that members would wish me to express the profound sympathies of the whole House with the relatives of the victims of this terrible disaster. He continued, 'I must add also on behalf of the Government and my own Department our sense of loss of three distinguished Public Servants who sacrificed their lives in the performance of their duty. The Chief Inspector went to the colliery yesterday afternoon and last night, and this morning I have received the following telegrams from him':

The first explosion at Cadeby Colliery happened at about 4.30 this morning in the south district of the Barnsley seam, the only seam worked at Cadeby. There were 505 persons in the pit at the time, of whom 35 were in the south district; 33 of them are supposed to have been killed outright by the explosion. There is, however, no definite information as respecting the other two. About 11.30 this morning whilst a rescue party was underground, a second explosion occurred in the same district, accompanied by a fall of the roof. The rescue party numbered 35 persons, and with it were Messrs. Pickering Hewitt and Tickle, Mines Inspectors, and Mr. Bury, the manager of the pit, and Mr. Douglas Chambers, manager of Denaby pit. Five only of the rescue party are alive, amongst whom is Mr. Bury, though his condition is critical, as is also the case with the others.'
'Total number of bodies recovered so far is 68. Three or four bodies are still in the pit. It is presumed they are beneath the fall. The sealing stoppings have been built, one a little way in-bye side of the fall in the intake, the other in the return airway. The evidence points to the possibility of the explosion being due to an underground fire, as there were indications of spontaneous heating near the face of the district in question on Saturday morning which was being dealt with by the management during the weekend'.
'A further slight explosion occurred at about 3 o'clock this morning, and three of the men working at the stopping in the intake were overcome, one of them rather badly, and sent to the surface. After consultation - Mr. Chambers, the Managing Director, Mr. Wilson, Mines Inspector, and myself, - we arranged, as soon as the stopping was repaired, to stop search for remaining bodies, and withdraw all the men from the mine except six, who will inspect the stoppings at intervals of four hours, to see that they are intact. All the other operations to cease for 24 hours unless the stoppage should be damaged by further explosions, in which case it will be necessary to erect stoppings much further out-bye. I do not think there is any fear, even were another explosion to take place, of its reaching the shafts, or indeed arriving much further out-bye through the stoppings, as, though the roads are dusty, the dust is not dangerous dust, being practically stone dust.
'Am now able to give more definite figures respecting death-toll. The bodies brought to the surface number 71. Possibly 3 more remain to be recovered at a future date. Five persons are in hospital, more or less seriously injured. Am returning to London, as nothing further remains to be done for the present'.

Note:The first two telegrams were received late on the night of the accident, third received the following morning and the last was received an hour before Mr. McKenna began to speak to the House.

Mr. McKenna told the House, 'The Chief Inspector returns to London this afternoon and I shall immediately consult him as to the steps which are necessary to investigate the circumstances of the disaster. The Home Office will be represented at the inquest, and I think it will be probably desirable that the Chief Inspector hold an inquiry under Section 83 of the Coal Mines Act of the last session'.

Mr. W. Harvey asked if the Home Secretary had any knowledge as to whether this explosion was caused by the use of coal-cutting machines and was he aware whether they were worked by electricity or compressed air. He further asked that as there were many coal pits in the district subject to spontaneous combustion and giving off gases at the face, as this was such a serious matter owing to the loss of life. He wished to know whether he could have a special inquiry into the whole of the district subject to the spontaneous combustion.

Mr. McKenna replied. 'I understand that the Chief Inspector has been for some time making an enquiry with regard to this class of mine, but I will bear in mind what my honourable friend says. I can only say that I have given all the information I have at the present time and I have not been able to find out whether in fact machines are used, of the kind named. The Chief Inspector says that the evidence points to the possibility of the explosion being due to an underground fire. I hope to give my honourable friend further information either later in the day or tomorrow.'

Mr. W. Harvey 'As this a very important matter I called at the Home Office this morning with regard to it. I know personally that there are pits in that district subject to spontaneous combustion, and I want to know whether we can have a special inquiry into this matter with view to preventing this serious loss of life in our mines.'

Mr. McKenna 'I think the special inquiry for which the honourable member asks with regard to this particular kind of mine is already in hand, but if it is not, I will certainly see that it is started.'

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