ANOTHER COLLIERY CATASTROPHE AT WIGAN.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3342, 10 November 1871, Page 3

ANOTHER COLLIERY CATASTROPHE AT WIGAN.

A report of a colliery explosion at Ince, near Wigan, has already been published. A terrible addition to the disaster occurred afterwards. At the very outset of the operations begun for tho recovery of the bodies of tho colliers entombed in the fatal Wigan ninefeet Beam, several more names were added to the number of the slain, and it is most marvellous that this doe 3 not include the names of the Government inspector for the district, and many of tho moat eminent mining engineers in South Lancashire. Engineers, who had hitherto directed the operations of the colliery met to consult as to the desirability of re-opening the shafts. It was the unanimous decision of these gentlemen to proceed with the opening of tho shufts, as the state of the temperature was a sufficient indication that the fire had been extingushed. The thermometer indicated a general heafc of about 70 deg. during the whole of tho week j but opposite the mouth of the nine-feet seam, in which the explosion occurred, there appeared to have been a gradual decrease. The resolution of the engineers was not made public, as it was certain to attract a large crowd to tho pitj but the work of uncovering both shafts wus proceeded with shortly after 3 o'clock. Mr Jacob Higson was looking over tho mouth of tho upcast, which had then been partially opened —for at neither shaft had it been considered advisable to remove the whole of tho covering —when he remarked to Mr Knowles that all seemed so quiet below that a descent might be attempted very shortly. He had scarcely completed his sentence, and was still looking over the shaft, when he heard a rush of wind from below. This was followed by a long blast of fire, which in its turn was succeeded by a report almost equal to that of a park of artillery. The engineers and officials standing at the mouth of tho upcast shaft, were blown a dozen yards on to a railway, and they had hardly time to look round before a donse cloud of smoke issued from the downcast, above which was a sheet of flame, which it is credibly stated rose to a height of from twenty to thirty yards above tho head gear. Mr Higson, the Go vernmont inspector, was at the moment of the explosion walking between the two shafts. He was knocked down, but his in juries were not serious. On a visit being paid to the downcast, it was found that nearly every one there had been severely hurt, and at least four or five of the workmen employed hud been killed. Mr John Knowles, son of Thomas Knowles, hud his leg broken, aud j sustained other severe injuries; Mr Picard, minor's agent, was hurt co badly that he had to proceed home, hardly able to walk ; Mr J. Pearson, Mr Jacob Higson, Mr Thomas Knowles, Mr John Higson, and Mr Inspector Dickinson, of the county police, were all severely shaken. The force of the blast was terrific. Materials were blown thirty or forty yards, and the damage dene to the head-gear is considerable. The names of the killed cannot be accurately ascertained, and it is very doubtful whether the full number is yet known. So far it is believed to bo five, including one man named Shuttleworth, who is thought to have fallen down the shaft, but it is quite possible that others may have perished in the same way. The foreman joiner, named Ashurßt, a married man with five children, has been blown to p; oees. The foreman sinker, Farrimond, is also among the dead; and the browman, VI alsh, who had two sons lying in the seam, has perished at the downcast shaft. It was tho unanimous opinion that it would be wanton risk of life to make any other attempt to replace the stopping, and only one other way of extinguishing the fire could be suggested — that waß to flood the colliery. Three sources of water-Bupply wore at hand, so it was decided to make an attempt to drown out the fire without delay.