The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-25 00:00:00

THE COLLIERY CATAS7ROPHE AT

FENTON.

An inquest was held on Saturday evening on the
body of the unfortunate man, James Buckley, who
was killed by the fearful boiler explosion at Fenton-
park Furnaces on Friday morning. Mr. Lawton,
one of the proprietors of the works, was present, as
also was Mr. Wynne, her Majesty's Inspector of
Mines, who attended at the request of Mr. Harding,
the coroner,' with a view to assist the jury. His
knowledge of the working of machinery, and of the
results of the explosion, enabled him to render some
material service. The first witness called was
Samuel Emberton, overlooker of the furnaces and
shops, who stated that, to the best of his belief, the
machinery was in good working order up to the
time of the explosion. There were two blast fur-
naces on the works, one of which was out. Two
engines, coupled together, each of 40 horse power,
were used for blowing the furnaces, and these en-
gines were supplied by four large boilers, all of
which had been repaired within the last three
months, and all were at work on Friday morning
except one which had been let out for the purpose
of being cleaned. The boilers were close feeding,
and each provided with a safety valve, a tap for
regulating the supply of water, and a whistle. Ex-
cept that one of the whistles was undergoing repair
he believed the whole of the three boilers at work
were in good working order. Witness went to the
works on Friday morning at 5 minutes past 6
o'clock and found Buckley, the night engine tender,
waiting for him. He had some conversation with
him, and then left, returning in a few minutes to
the smith's shop, about 20 yards from the engine
house, when the explosion took place. No. 1 boiler
was thrown about 50 yards in a north-easterly di-
rection, and appeared to have struck the furnace
which was out, and swept it completely away, the
boiler being nearly doubled up and broken. No. 2
boiler was blown between 300 and 400 yards into a
reservoir, but was not greatly injured except at one
end. No. 3 boiler was blown to atoms, to a distance
of 400 yards, in different directions. No. 4 boiler
rolled over about 14ft., and broke to pieces. The
engine was going at the time witness was speaking
to Buckley, five minutes before the explosion. After
the explosion witness heard a groan from among
the ruins of the engine-house, and in about a quar-
ter of an hour Buckley was dug out dead. Witness
thought Buckley must have let one of the boilers
get out, as it then appeared to have been heated
without water. He saw no indication of anything
being out of order when he went to the works on
Friday morning. He had heard that the self-acting
float in one of the boilers was broken, and if the
boiler had been short of water and the whistles in
good condition, he must have heard the whistles
sound.—George Berks, the day engine-tender, said
he went to the works a little before six on Friday
morning, when Buckley told him the boilers were
all right. The engines were going slowly, and
deceased was oiling the valves. The extent of pres-
sure on the gauge the day before was 401 b. He
heard the whistles of Nos. 1 'and 2 boilers blow the
night before. No. 3 boiler was not quite full of
water when he left on Thursday night, but it was
safe. He thought the explosion was caused by some
of the boilers being empty.—The coroner said there
seemed to have been a dereliction of duty on the part
of the deceased, an opinion in which Mr. Wynne
concurred. Mr. Wynne added that he had examined
the boilers, and he could find no flaw in them. The
parts which had gone were not the weak parts, but
the suddenness and force of the explosion had torn
up the plates like paper.—The jury immediately
returned a verdict of accidental death.—Mr. Wynne
subsequently
.alluded to the frightful havoc caused
by the explosion, which is unparalleled in its conse-
quences so far as the district is concerned, and
agreed with Mr. Lawton in estimating the value of
the damage done at little short of £6,000.