The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-03 00:00:00

THE FATAL EXPLOSION AT THE

HAS WELL COLLIERY.

HASWELL, TUESDAY EVENING, SEVEN OCLOux.—
The inquest was resumed this morning at ten o'clock,
and continued all the day. The following evidence
was taken. It creates immense interest in the dis-
trict, and numbers of people from all parts continue
to flock to the place, to ascertain particulars on the
spot. This is the most fatal colliery explosion that
ever happened in the Durham coal-field.
Mr. MARSHALL said he was instructed by the owners
to state that they were anxious for the fullest inquiry,
and after hearing the evidence produced, if the coroner
and jury think it necessary► that the pit should be
viewed by impartial professional men, they will readily
afford every facility for that purpose.
Mr. Roberts said lie would merely repeat the appli-
tion he had made last night, that persons approved by
the pitmen should make on examination as to the con-
dition of the mine.

Robert Beaney lives at Haswell, and is a miner.
He worked at that part of the mine where the acci-
dent occurred. He was there on the morning the
accident happened, and has worked there for six weeks
previously. Was at work in the low headway' on
Saturday morning, and left it about ten o'clock in the
morning; the visntilation was then good. Has worked
seven years and a half in the colliery. The whole
part of the coal is worked with candles, which he
considers safe ; the broken is worked with lamps. Has
always considered the pit one of the safest he has ever
been down. When he left work he met with about
fifteen other men leaving their work, and not one of
them expressed any fear of approaching danger. De-
puties go down the pit with every fresh shift of men ;
the duty of the deputies is to go round and timber
the places where the men are at work, and to see
that everything is safe, and as a proof that they do
this, one of the sufferers, George Hall, was in witness's
place a little before he left work for the purpose of
examining that place. Has not been further than the
flat since the accident happened, and cannot speak as
to its cause. Up to the time he left there had been
no want of ventilation, and where he worked he had
a sufficiency of air. flas been in the habit of taking
out juds and when falls of stone have frequently taken
place, but cannot ray that any inflammable, gas es-
caped at those falls, because he never saw any such
appearance on the famp. If any came it was taken
off by the current of air that was flying through the
pit at the time. The current of air in this pit has
always been stronger than* any other pit in which
he has worked. Has seen it Geordie lamp, but never
saw it used. Has always considered the Davy lamp
a safety to him if the indications it gives when gas is
present are attended to—there is then time to get
away. The Davy lamp is safe, so long as the gauze
is uninjured, if it be properly attended to. When the
lamp indicates gas, their orders are to come out im •
mediately into the fresh air. Can attach blame to no
one, neither individually nor collectively, for this sad
occurrence. I have heard men working in the whole
part of the mine complain of too much air, and when
working in narrow places the current of air was fre-
quently so great that the men had to request the de-
puty to leave the brattice back a little, which would
have the effect of throwing less air into the workings.
At that part he considered the ventilation too strong
for a man to work.
By Mr. Roberts—When he speaks of ventilation,
he speaks of the parts in which he has worked, but he
has worked in various parts at different times. Was
last in the pit about two A.m., on Sunday last, the
air was then rather thick and coarse at the place
where the accident =lured, but a strong current of '