Cadeby Pit Disaster of 1912
The Home Office Inquiry
A public inquiry into the explosion at Cadeby was opened on 5th August, 1912, at the Guildhall, Doncaster by Mr. H. A. S. Redmayne, Chief Inspector of Mines on behalf of the Home Office.
Among those present was Mr. Robert Smillie, President of the Miners Federation of Great Britain; Mr. Herbert Smith, President of the Yorkshire Miners Association; Mr. Vernon Hartshorn, President of the South Wales Miners Federation; and Mr. W. H. Chambers, Managing Director of Denaby Colliery Company.
Mr. W. Bridges, Under Manager, explained the system of working the pit. There was he said, a previous gob fire, some years ago, in the south district where the explosion occurred, and a more recent one, both being at the place of a fault. He attributed these fires to the high temperature of the pit. He told the inquiry that from the previous November until April, there was a further fire near a fault. An explosion occurred and 4 men were slightly burned.
The chargeman examined and reported every four hours on places in the vicinity of the fault, but the temperature was not taken regularly; instead samples of the air was taken and analysed by a qualified chemist. He did not think that there had ever been a gob fire in the pit except in the neighbourhood of the faults.
Questioned by Mr. Smillie, the witness said that it was not in his experience that gas was more likely to be given off in the neighbourhood of faults, than at the opencast coal face.
Questioned by Mr.Smith. He did not receive any complaint from the men as to the working conditions in the pit before the disaster?
Would you be surprised to hear that this is the first time we have heard of a previous explosion in the pit?
The witness did not reply.
Mr. Harry S. Witty, the colliery agent, said that in his opinion after the explosion in January, precautions were taken that forethought could possibly provide. He did not agree that it was a necessary precaution to withdraw all men in the case of a gob fire, except those actually working on the fire.
Questioned by Mr. Redmayne, the witness said that after the explosion, no one was allowed to go down the mine without permission.
Mr. Redmayne - We may take it that all those who went down did so without permission?
The witness - Yes
Mr. Redmayne - That is to say, after a disaster in which 35 persons were killed, caused by a gob fire, with every possibility of another explosion you permitted roughly 60 persons to go down?
The witness -Yes
Asked if he thought that wise, the witness said that he thought so at the time, and probably he would do the same in similar circumstances. Everybody was dead, it was not to save lives, but to recover bodies.
The witness went on to say that his attention was drawn to the fact that at 9'0 clock on the morning of the explosion, coal was still being drawm from the pit, and he stopped the work at once.
The inquiry was adjourned. Continued »
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