BEDWELTY. Tredegar, Monmouthshire. 10th. March 1880.

The colliery was the property of the Tredegar Iron Company and Mr. W.P. Jones was the manager. Six were killed in an explosion of gas. At the inquest, five colliers who were working in the same district were examined and they all said that they thought the colliery safe and that the air was sufficient ventilation. In one place where some gas had been found the men were using locked lamps but the rest of the pit was worked with open lights.

Those who lost their lives were:

  • William Braithwaite,
  • Henry George,
  • Thomas Pullen,
  • Thomas Jones,
  • Edward Thurse,
  • Gwillym Jenkins.

The fireman, overman, underviewer and manager gave the opinion that the ventilation was sufficient and that the explosion was caused by a sudden blower of gas coming off the floor which was ignited by one of the open lights. Their statement was supported by the fact that no gas could be found at the faces shortly after the explosion, as soon as the sheets had been put up to restore the ventilation.

The jury returned the following verdict:

Accidentally killed by an explosion of gas caused by a sudden outburst from the floor ignited by the open lights. The jury impresses upon the manager the necessity for carrying out the recommendation of the inspector that the pit in future be worked with locked lamps only.

This recommendation was acted in immediately and locked lamps were used in that section of the workings.

 

REFERENCES
Mines Inspectors Report, 1980. Mr. Cadman.

Information supplied by Ian Winstanley and the Coal Mining History Resource Centre.

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