The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1869-06-15 00:00:00

This brought the evening's evidence to • close.

APPALLING COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

Between six and seven o'clock on Thursday morning, a
fearful explosion shattered one of the three working, of
the Ferndale pit which is situate in the leaser Rhondda
valley, • wild mountainous district of South Wales, near
Merthyr TydviL The Ferndale Colliery is worked in three
separate headings, known as the Duthie, the Rhondda
anti the Blaienllecha. It is the Duffryn that has suffered
now. This h,ading takes a south-westerly course,
branching from the one shaft that is common to all three
headings, on the same level with the other two. About
600 men are usually employed in the Ferndale pit, of
who.* number from 130 to 140 were at work on the
Daffryn side when the accident occurred. Not more
than eixty of these made good their escape, being for-
tunately enabled to do so by their proximity to the
shalt which is 280 yards deep. The men in tie Duffryn
bending had not been more than hall an hour at work
when their peril was made known at the pit's mouth by
sighs to well known to be mistaken. There was a
vibration of the earth, than • think stifling aloud of dust
and vapour from the down-mist, and then • muffled
report. Mr. Pedlingtou, the general minagsr, and Kr.
David Rees, the local manager, were speedily fetoh,d to
the spot, where they were joined by • number piths other
officials connected with the works, and soon afterwards
by thousands of men, women, and children, brought
there by the evil news. Mr. Pedlington and Mr. Rees,
on their arrival, promptly organised an exploring party
the colliers volunteering for the service with they
cusinnary willingness and heroism. The first party
deoended • little before eight o'clock, and by half past
nine ten bodies were brought to the bank. These pre-
sented no appearance of having been burnt, but appa-
rently had suffered from the effects of the eller-damp.
Cam, and with features perfectly composed as if they
had fallen asleep; they were laid by the pit mouth for
recognition by their friends. Relief parties Isere told
off to routinize the march, and bodies continued to be
brought up till between twelve and one c'elosok, at
which hour forty-live bodies bed been recovered. inns.
or two oues the features of the poor fellows were so
charred as to be almost wholly unreeogniailale. Imme-
diately after the aeoident had become known, seamy of
the distriet clergy and a large muster of media& men
hastened to the spot. About half-past eight on Thurs-
day night the searching parties ceased their work, and
It is anticipated that owing to the number of falls, the
whole of the bodies will not be recovered for two or
three days. Forty-one bodies have been conveyed to
their homes. Part of the workings were on ire on
Friday. That portion of the pit on fire is walled in to
prevent the some of sir; pa is thee .
P'erther explosions are feared, An open safety lamp
has been found in the heading where the gas exploded;
and • pipe and tobacco have been discovered on one of
the bodies In the vicinity of the explosion. It is sup-
posed the lamp was opened to get • light ; hence the
explosion.