§ Mr. ALBERT STANLEYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can give to the House definite information of the explosion at the Jammage pit of the Bignall Hill Colliery, North Staffordshire?
§ Mr. McKENNAI have now received fuller particulars from the divisional inspector. It appears that last Thursday morning some coal was found to be getting hot and it was partly loaded up and sent out. On Friday the manager discovered a trace of "gob stink" (which is the usual indication of a gob fire), and, although no fire was seen, he determined to shut off the district by building a dam or dams. This was being done, when at 9.30 on Saturday morning an explosion took place, apparently blowing out the stoppings or dams. Six men succumbed to the effects of the after-damp, and six were partially gassed, one having his leg fractured and another being burnt on the back. All the bodies were got out of the mine in a few hours time without the assistance of persons equipped with breathing apparatus. A second and more violent explosion took place at 6.30 on Saturday evening, when there was no one in the mine, and twenty-seven horses perished, as nothing could be done to save them. The whole colliery is now shut down. As this accident presents special features, and as it is important that the dangers arising from the presence of fire-damp in mines exposed to gob fires should be specially investigated, I propose to appoint the Chief Inspector of Mines to hold an inquiry under Section 45 of the Coal Mines Regulation Act.