An explosion of fire-damp took place in a colliery at Pemberton, near Wigan, on Friday evening last, by which no less than ten lives have been sacrificed, and six other colliers have been placed on beds of suffering, with scarcely a possibility of recovery.
The colliery is that called Norley-hall, and is worked by the executors of the late Mr. Danglish, of Pemberton. The coal-bed is one of considerable extent, and belongs partly to Reece Bevan, Esq., and partly to the estate of the late Duke of Bridgwater; but Mr. Daglish had power only to take the coal to the boundaries of Mr. Bevan’s estate.
The coal field is worked by means of two shafts at Norley-hall, of about 480 feet deep, the principal workings running north and east. Between 50 and 60 men and boys had descended to work on Friday morning, properly provided with Davy lamps, and proceeded with their work up to about three o’clock in the afternoon. Part of the colliers then left, the boys and the others employed as drawers being left to get out the loose coal. Upwards of 30 persons thus remained, chiefly boys, and about half-past three o’clock the explosion of fire-damp occurred.
The cause is not known, the rules of the colliery being strict that no one shall unlock their lamps. It is believed to have ignited at workings close to the boundaries of the eastern face of the coal, where the colliers, having driven their levels up to the coals belonging to the Bridgewater estate, had turned back, leaving the roof to fall in, forming what colliers call the goaf. In these places a good deal of gas usually collects, and as this coal is of a very bituminous character, with cannel underneath, there is usually a considerable quantity of it.
The distance from the bottom of the down shaft was about 2250 feet. The explosion took place with a loud report, and a cloud of dust was blown out at the top of the shaft, which gave notice to the bankmen. No time was lost in getting out such of the unfortunate workmen as were able to find their way to the bottom of the shaft, and many of these were found to be fearfully burnt. A number of the colliers, however, had been killed by the force of the explosion—one of them, a boy named Thomas Hitchen, aged 14, having his head nearly severed from his body, and others had been overpowered by the after-damp or sulphur, so that it was necessary to search the workings without delay.
Mr. William Twiss, overlooker, I and Mr. Moses Cuerton, underlooker, of the mine, were fortunately at the offices near the pit, and descended with as little delay as possible. After great risk and suffering the relief parties sent forward succeeded in rescuing several persons in a state of insensibility, but who were alive, from various parts of the levels. They also removed the bodies of the dead. By a late hour in the evening three dead bodies had been removed from the mine of persons who had been killed, six others of the sufferers were dead on Saturday evening, and another died on Sunday morning.
Liverpool Mercury, Liverpool, Lancashire, England, April 30, 1852