The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-02 00:00:00

DREADFUL COAL-PIT ACCIDENT,
SIX LIVES LOST.
(From the Sheffield Independent.)
It is our painful duty to record an accident of a most la-
mentable nature, and attended with the loss of six lives,
which occurred yesterday afternoon at the Darley Main Coal
Company's pits, at Worsbrough Dale, about two miles from
the town of Barnsley, and ten from Sheffield. The following
are briefly the facts connected with the occurrerce, as far as
we have been able to learn. It appears that on Friday after-
noon, about two o'clock, some men who were employed in
one part of the pit, tired a blast of gunpowder for the purpose
of bringing down a large quantity of coal. Shortly after the
explosion,.an alarm of tire was given from a part of the pit
200 yards from the place where the blast had been fired.
The underground steward, George Gomersley, who was at
dinner at his house, a short distance from the pit, was sent
for, and as many men as could be mustered at the time, went
with hint immediately to the place, from whence the alarm
was given, for the purpose of endeavouring to extinguish the
flames. A large mass of coal was found on fire, and every
exertion was used to stop up the driftwaya, or roads through
which air was admitted, and to put out the fire by throwing
water upon it. The men were engaged in this manner
from two o'clock until four, at which time, instead of
having checked the flames, it was found that they were
gaining upon them, and the pit being filled with
smoke rendered it impossible for them to continue
longer. Oue of the men, named John Elstone, with
several others, turned to go back to the pit mouth, Elstone
being at the time scarcely able to stand from suffocation.
On his way to the pit mouth, he passed Gomersley and two
or three others, who had sunk from suffocation. Gomersley
said as he passed, " I'm done for." Elstone with great diffi-
culty reached tile pit mouth. He was then unable to speak,
and was removed in a state of insensibility to his house.
Those who were at the pit mouth now became alarmed for
the safety of their companions, and a message was imme-
diately dispatched to the pits of Messrs. Field and Cooper
for assistance. Some of the other men succeeded in reaching
the pit mouth in a state of exhaustion. The manager of the
works went down into the pit, which was then so full of
smoke that he was obliged to return. Joseph Beaumont, the
steward at Messrs. Field and Cooper's pits, arrived shortly
after four o'clock, and every exertion was then used to reach
the place where the men were known to be, and without
success. John Elstone, about seven o'clock, recovered so
far as to be able to state where he left his fellow-work-
men, one of whom was his brother. Renewed exertions
were made, and, in a short time, the body of Thomas
Broadhead was discovered quite dead. At intervals of
time after this, the bodies of John Gilberthorpe, John
Jenkinson, George Brown, Thomas Elstone, and George
Gomersley were found. The body of Thomas Elstone
was nearest t'e place where the tire was burning. It
was not until twelve o'clock at night that the last of the
bodies (that of George Gomersley, tl:e under-ground
steward) was found, and they were each removed
to their homes. The other men, eight in number, who had
escaped from suffocation, only with great difficulty, were im
mediately after being removed from the pit, attended by a
surgeon, who administered such remedies as their cases re-
quired. and though suffering severely there is every reason
to hope that they will recover. John Elstone states that
he did not attempt to return until he could scarcely draw
his breath, and his strength had so far failed that he was
unable to walk. The cause of the accident has not yet been
clearly ascertained, but, from the statements made by the
men who were in the pit at the time (one of them the man
who fired the blast), and who escaped, there does not
appear to have been any light near the place where the fire
that
the immediatelybr breaking
ki
iafteruhg ut
ph e
ofblasting a ofl
mustthe
have opened a credviacceciuntuwuhlaictehd,suapudurtrheitstedhahs3:idurgogiegnuigteads:
coal.wo
rafis rdei
toavm ise :s:udp,hpuauns
et idl
Dale, aged 46 ; Thomas
shiaxdmseetufiwrehtuo
hthaevecolaols.t Tirthohreesirfborlollo,ivwesing:_aGreeuthrgeenaGinuems of the
under-ground steward,, A
- Thomas Broadhead, aged 50 ; John
Elstone, aged 3a ;
deplore their unfortunate
and have left wives and children to
GeorgeJenkinsoßnr,o
Brown, aged
esdo
3;
OJ. John
SeveralGilbuefr tthuour pme,eua,%g.eedre 20;
married,and
deaths._
Dale, when the whole of
Dulpee.ußtandegehrlq(uoenset
(otfhisthded3c,o)rAoinoenrsdafoyr, Yatoorknsehr
oicel)och.ka.safitxed
to the
Mason's Arms Inn, in Worsbrough Da
the circumstances attending this unfortunate accident will be
fully inquired into.
On fi

ALARMING FIRE.—On Sunday morning a ire,
nearly attended with the most disastrous results, was dis-
covered on the premises belonging to Mr. J. T. Clarke, iron-
monger, situate at 8, Limekiln-bill, Limehouse. The fire
originated on the ground-floor, and when fist discovered was
ascending the staircase. The inmates happily succeeded in
effecting a safe retreat; 'Jut the tire ..ould not be extinguished
until that portion of the house iu which it commenced was
burned out, and the furniture and upper rooms were severely
damaged. Mr. Clarke was inured in the Guardian-office.