The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-10-19 00:00:00

THE GREAT FIRE AT A COLLIERY.

Further particulars of the fire in the colliery near
Barnsley show that the fire broke out in the Barfield
Main Colliery. As the pit was neared the flames were
seen rushing out of the drawing shaft with fearful
rapidity, illuminating the district for miles round, and
attracting thousands of people to the spot. The col-
liery, which is one of the most extensive in South York-
shire, is 537 yards deep. The coal worked is the
Barnsley seam, which measures eight feet in thickness,
and between 400 and 500 bands are employed in and
about the pit.
The colliery was set down as usual on Saturday
night, and all went on right until a little before ten
o'clock, when Mr. Wilson, the underground viewer,
received intimation that the air in the cupola or up-
cast shaft had become reversed. He at once ran to the
pit to see what was the cause, and he found that the
packing between the plates and the metal 'tubbing"
which secures the sides of the cupola shaft and keeps
back the water ha I given way, and that the water was
rushing down the shaft with great velocity. This had
the effect if causing the fire at the bottom to blow out
of the furnace, and set she slack and coals on fire.
The air being thus reversed, the flames rushed into
the workings, and set the reparation doors on fire ;
and by so doing reached the Is,ttom of the downcast
or drawirg pit, setting fire to the whole of the laden
corves and other inflammable matter which was about.
Mr. Wilson, on finding what was wrong, procured the
assistance of his sou, together with that id Joseph
,tt, SC/t/ SOD, and Rumsey, fire triers or deputies.
They found that one set of the separation doors were
burnt, and Mr. Wilson set a pair of other doors open
so as to turn the air from the fire. Two other men were
entrusted to uncover the sump where the water
accumulates in the pit bottom, with the intention of
drawingwater and throwing it down the drawing shaft,
in order to reverse the air. The progress of the
fire was so rapid that the men were compelled to
relinquish the attempt, and flee to the cupola shaft,
where they narrowly escaped with their lives. The
flames increased with fearful rapidity, and hissed some
thirty or f. sty lards out of the pit mouth. The oe-
struction of the timber in the drawing shaft and the
beat caused the sediments between the metal tubing
to give way, and the water also burst out of the aisles
of the drawing-shaft. There being no a dparatus, save
a small hard fire engine or two on the spot, the whole
of the pit. hill, which is raised above the surface, and
covered a large area of ground, became one burning
mass. _ .

Several cabins and an engine-house, together with
the large and valuable screens' were for the most part
destroyed. At the time the tire broke out there were
46 hor,es end ponies in the workings, valued at £1,500,
all of which are of course lost. Nothing like an ap-
proximate estimate of the loss which the proprietors
may sustain can he made, as the pit may have to re-
main closed for some time. Great commisseration is
felt for the proprietors and for the men, from 400 to
500 of whom are now thrown out of employment by the
occurrence of an accident almost without a parallel in
mining appals.