The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-06-06 00:00:00

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EXPLOSION OF DYNAMITE.

A terrible explosion of dynamite occurred on Satur-
day at the new colliery in course of sinking at the
Brooms, near Durham city, by which two men were
seriously injured, while two more narrowly escaped
with their lives, and the whole of the colliery plant
ran a great risk of being totally wrecked. In the im-
mediate locality where it occurred was a small cabin
which is built on a strong platform close to the wind-
ing gear and the upright erected over the shaft and
near the eugine-house. Outside the cabin in ques-
thin were a number of dynamite shots for
the use of the sinkers, and also a quantity of
percussion caps in a box. The dynamite shots are
about an inch and a half long and the thickness of a
finger. They are exploded by caps or by concussion.
Near the cabin on a platform was a coal lamp full of
fire, while within the wooden structure was stored about
half a ton of blasting powder contained in the usual
quarter-casks. About twenty minutes past six o'clock,
the night-shift men having just gone off work, Walter
Mason, the master sinker, was in the cabin, while
sitting on a corner of the platform and close to one
corner of the building was a waiter on the sinkers,
named John Dixon. What had happened to the
dynamite oh its hanging outside the cabin no one
can say, but it is surmised that either the per-
cussion caps had been exploded by being blown
briskly against the side 14 the house, or that some
of the tire from the lamp had reached them. The whole
of the persons upon the colliery at the time were
startled by a loud report, which was heard a consider-
able distance over the country, and caused a general
rush in the direction of the powder cabin. The latter
had entirely disappeared from the platform, and lay in
a heap of broken timber on the ground. (Inc of the
first to arrive was Robert Richardson, a banksman,
and the first thing he saw was the master sinker,
Walter Mason, lying over the brazier, tot lily unable to
get away from the flames, which were burning the
flesh on his shoulders. On the opposite side of the
platform, besides an iron ribble, lay John Dixon, the
" waiter and both he and Mason appeared to be
much hurt. Richardson was joined by Henry Hilton,
a platelayer, who had been working close by, and
had seen the catastrophe, and Thomas Smith, a
'waiter on," and with the assistance of others
who rapidly came up the injured men were carried
off the platform. On examination it was found that
Dixon had received a severe injury to his mouth,
having apparently been thrown against some iron
projection, which had inflicted a gash over his upper
lip and aeross his cheek towards the jaw. Mason was
severely burnt about the shoulders and back, and on
his hip was a deep punctured wound, as if he had been
thrown against a pointed projection. 'fix moo were
insensible, and were canied idf at once to the Dur-
ham County Hospital, where they received every
attention from the hands of the house surgeon, but
their condition was looked upon as exceedingly
critical. Tne quarter-barrels of blasting powder,
though knocked about a good deal by the explosion,
it ere hamd to be unharmed.