The Sun.
London, England, 1837-06-27 00:00:00

MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE AT
BLAINA IRON WORKS, MONMOUTHSHIRE.

At ten o'clock on Saturday morning last, these Works and
neighbourhood were-thrown into great consternation by a lcud
report which was found to proceed from. the mouth of one of
the coal pits belonging to Messrs. Russell and Brown, which
was folkwed by a thick cloud of smoke. These two signals at-
tracted the notice of the men who were at work on tho ccke
yard adjoining the pit, and also persons on the opposite side
of the valley. In a few minutes a large concourse of persons
assembled on the spot, every one inquiring what was the mat-
ter. It was immediately discovered that an explosion of gas,
commonly called tire-damp, had taken place in the untler-
ground workings, and the first impression on the minds of
those present was, that all the workmen in the headings, and
stalls were either burnt to death or sulFicated. One man,

named Daniel Davis, descended the pit, with all the fortitude
and willingness imaginable ; the overlooker of the colliery,
Richard Buttery, hastened to the spot, and instantly followed
Dank! Davis, and by their united exertions, soon brought up
to.the surface of the pit three men in a complete state af ;ex-
haustion. The shock to those on the top was so great, that no
one could be prevailed upon to descend the pit, excepting But-
tery and Davis, who, notwithstanding their exhaustion, occa-
sioned by the noxious vapour, immediately again returned on
the carnage, and ordered the engineer to lower them into the
pit, where they continued their exertions in sending up the
bodies of the unfortunate sufferers. By this time a great num-
ber of workmen had collected from all parts of the works, and
from the noble example set them by the above-named indi-
viduals,-several others followed with the greatest alacrity to
render their assistance in getting the men up, which they did
very rapidly : they had to contend with great difficulties; so
dense was the smoke and the sulphurous vapour, that they
could scarcely breathe, or derive any light from the candles,
being obliged to grope for the bodies in the dark, that were
!vine- dead, or is a state of insensibility, in the headings and
stalls. By twelve o'clock, thirty-five Nlividuals were brought
to the surface, eleven of whom were dead, and the others in a
state of exhaustion and stupefaction. About half past two
o'clock two more were brought up, one of them dead, and the
other quite senseless ; however, the latter was so far recovered,
as t, be able to give a clear account of the catastrophe before
the Coroner. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Row-
lands, snrgeon to the works, and to his two assistants, Mr.
Davis and Mr. Tuckett ; also to Mr. Alexander Brewer, the
surgeon to the Coalbrouko Vale Works, all of whom were
promptly en the spot, and by the combined exertions and un-
wearied attention of these gentlemen, the lives of twenty-four
of the unfortunate men were saved. T. Brown, Esq., the re-
sident Manager of the works, was from home at the time, but
his place was ably supplied by his father, IL-Brown, Esq.,
who was immediately on the spot, and it is due to him to re- '
ma .k on the intense anxiety and unremitting exertions be
Manifested on the occasion, united with those of the agents of
Blaina, and adjoining works. On Sunday evening another
death was added to the list, making a total of thirteen • this
unfortunate man was John, the brother of Walter Williams,
one of the first brought up; upon his (Walter's) recovery
from the effects of the vapour, his first inquiry was for his bro-
ther John's safety ; understanding he was still in the pit, he
instantly descended in search of him : John, equally anxious
for the preservation of his brother, was groping in the pit for
Walter. Thus these two men were in a state of mind border-
ing on distraction, seekini, each other in this living grave.
John was ultimately ,brought up alive, but in consequence of
the great quantity of foul air inhaled by him during his search
for Walter, nature was too far spent to rally, and he, no doubt,
fell a sacrifice to his brotherly affection.
The following is a list of the deceased:—
David Thomas, single, aged 17, from Lianvair-y Bryn ;
Edward Morgan, married, aged 58, from Blaina, left a widow
and five children ; Thomas Harry, married, aged 75, from
Blaine, left a widow ; Wm. Harry, his son, single, aged 19,
from Blaina; William Lewis, a boy, aged 9, from Blaina;
John Wilkins; married, aged 22, from Frome Some, left a
widow and one child; Wm. Jones, single, aged 22, from
Nantyglo ; Win. Lawrence, single, aged 35, from Nantyglo ;
Rees Williams, single, aged 19, from Blaina; Hopkin Hop-
kins, single, aged 29, from Clynmelin, in Pontneddoychan ;
Thomas Evans, single, aged 53, from Denbighshire ; Thomas
Edmunds, single, aged 34, from near Tavernspike, Pembroke-
shire; John Williams, widower, aged 37, from Battul, near
Brecon.
There were also three fine horses killed, and one much
burnt, but which is likely to recover.
INQUEST.

On Monday morning, an inquest was held at the Whimsey
Inn, before T. Hughes, Esq., Coroner, and a respectable and
intelligent Jury, several of whom were thoroughly conversant
with mining operations and totally unconnected with the Blaina
Iron-,.vorks. The Coroner charged the Jury, and remarked
with much feeling upon the frightful sacrifice of human life
which bad occurred, and pointed out to them the necessity for
a close and rigid investigation of the facts, with a view to ascer-
tain whether the masters or their agents, or any other parties,
were culpable. They then proceeded to view the bodies, and
when they returned, the following witnesses wore examined :
Evan Jones, being► sworn, stated—_l am a collier, and have
been employed at these works for the last eleven years. On
Saturday morning last, I was at work at No. 4 heading of the
New Pit; there were at that time about 35 men in that part
of the working; the pit has been open about 9 months. No.
3 heading, the one adjoining that which I worked, was unsafe
from foul air. Richard Buttery, the coal agent, had in con-
sequence prevented the men working there. Every exertion
had been made to drive an air-course to it, which, were it
not for the explosion on Saturday last, would have been
completed, in a week or ten days, when the whole of the foul
air would.have been cleared off. Every man in the work had
been cautioned by the overlooker not to approach it with a
light. I have often been told by Mr. Brown and the agent
on no account to venture where the workings are at all unsafe
without Davy's safety lamp. These lamps arc supplied by
Messrs. Russell and Brown, the masters, and I never knew a
workman refused one upon asking for it, The air was quite
sweet and clear in every part of the pit. but in No. 3 heading,
as I before stated ; John Wilkins and Thomas Edmunds came
into the pit to collect some money for a fellow-workman who
had met with an accident. I put my name down for six-
pence and they left me to go to the other workmen, they had
each a lighted candle in his hand, and I believe they mistook
their way and went into No. 3 heading ; in two or three
minutes after they left me the explosion took place. I have
no doubt in my own mind that they fired it. I do not
not consider there is the least blame to be attributed to the
masters and agents of the works.- John Wilkins and Thomas
Edmunds were strangers to the new pit, and I suppose they
did not know there was foul air there. As soon as I heard
the report, I ran from where I was at work, but was too much
overpowered with sulphur to know where I was going. I then
fell down and do not remember anything more until I was on
the bank of the pit in the afternoon, when some one was wash-
ing me. I considered that the pit was quite safe to all that
were working in it, but not for strangers. Thirteen persons
were killed by the explosion.
Richard Buttery examined—_l am a coal agent to Messrs.
Russell and Brown; have been a collier for 25 years, have
been burnt twice, and known the nature of fire-damp well ;
have been nine years in the service of Mr. Brown. Thu new
pit has been opened about nine months. At the time of the
accident 50 men were employed in the pit. There was foul
air in No. 3 heading, but in no other part of the workings, the
whole or which were well ventilated. I took all the men out
of No. 3 heading about three weeks ago, in consequence of
the foul air. I employed four men in driving an air course to
get a vent to clear the foul air front No. 3. I was in the pit
on Saturday with a safety lamp before the men went to work.
Mr. Brown gave me a safety lamp, and ordered me to take it
into the work every morning before the men went in, to ascer-
tain if it were free from fire-damp. I have always done so,
except to the No. 3, which I knew to be unsafe, and have told
every span in the work several times not to go near it with a
light. I did riot put up a door or bay to No. 3, as it. would
interfere with our working the air course, and every man be-
longing to the pit was aware that that part was dangerous.
The air course is now within eight yards of No. 3, and I ex-
pected it would be worked through and the foul air cleared in
seven or eight days. Every exertion has been made, and no
delay has taken has taken ',lace, to remedy the evil since the
foul air was first discovered, which was first done by my going
into No. 3 with a lighted candle. John Wilkins, who was
collecting far Robert Creese, asked me for work in No. 3,
the week before last. I refused him, in consequence of the
danger from the foul air. He has not worked the new pit for
some time.

Ten other colliers were examined, who were at work in the
pit at the time the accident happened ; thev fully. corroborated
the evide...ce of Richard Buttery and Evan Jones.
Abraham Rowlands, Esq., surgeon, examined :—.-I was in
attendance on Saturday at one of the coal pits before stated,
after a dreadful 'explosion had occufred from the fire-damp ig-
niting, during. the . whole of the time the men were brought
up. There were about 35 men and boys, 11 of which num-
ber were quite dead when brought up to the top of the pit.
One other, named David Thomas, expired in about an hour
after being brought out, he was very much burnt, and re-
ceived a severe facture on the skull, from which his brains pro.
truded. I did not think from the moment I first saw him he
could possibly live many minutes. The fracture was of such
an extensive nature, that it was impossible to save him. Ano-
ther person, John Williams, was insensible for a considerable
time after being brought up; he afterwards revived a little,
but was so much affected from inhaling the foul air and nol.
ions vapour, that he was paralyzed. I attended him at his own
house; bled him and used evety means my experience dictated.
He complained much of pain in his chest and head on the
evening and on the following morning. Ile died about 3
o'clock on Sunday rfternoon. lam happy to state that the
survivors, in number 22 men and boys, who were brought up
in a state of insensibility, are now doing nell, and are fast pro-
gressing ton ards recovery.
When the whole of the evidence was gone through the Co-
roner summed up, and the Jury, after a short consultation, re-
turned the only verdict they could, accidental death, accom-
panied with the following declarttion :—" That it is our
unanimous opinion that no blathe whatever is attributable to•
the masters or their agents, nor is. there any fault to be found
with the construction of the works or with the mode of work-
ingo. them."
We cannot conclude our report of this truly disastrous
event, without remarking on the sensation it has created in
the neighbourhood ; so great a sacrifice of life at one time, has
net, we believe, ever before occurred in the mining district of
Wales. The anxiety of the colliers and miners in the various
works was so great in the afternoon of Saturday and Sunday,
that thousands congregated on the scene of suffering. To
attempt the description of the anguish which was depicted on
the relatives of the deceased, would be impossible, their cries
were most heart-rending ; but amidst all this distress the
ministering hand of comfort was cheerfully, liberally, we would
almost say lavishly exended to all the survi%ing sufferers by
Messrs. Russell and Bronn, the worthy proprietors of the
Blain' Iron Works,