Felling Mine Disaster (Paperback)

Felling mine disaster was one of the first major Mining accidents or mine disasters in Britain, claiming 92 lives on 25 May 1812. The colliery was situated in Felling, Tyne and Wear part of Gateshead in what used to be County Durham, and had two shafts about 600 feet deep. It was extended in 1810 by the opening up of a new coal seam, the Low Main seam, and it was here that the explosion which engulfed the pit occurred. As with so many other coal mine disasters, the accident was caused by ignition of firedamp which then triggered a coal dust explosion. The explosion traveled through the galleries, and ended by erupting from one of the shafts. At that time, lighting in the pits was hazardous. Open flame lamps could easily ignite the gas, so steel mills were often used to provide weak illumination from sparks, but these too could set off a gas explosion. The alternative was to deliberately destroy gas accumulations in a dangerous operation conducted by a "monk," actually a foolhardy miner shrouded in a wet blanket who poked a candle on a long pole into gas pockets. His life must have been short, but probably well paid when successful.