HC Deb 16 June 1936 vol 313 cc797-9
43. Mr. D. L. DAVIES

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been directed to a statement made by Mr. Charlton, the divisional inspector of mines, during the inquiry held into the cause of the Gresford colliery explosion, to the effect that the ignition of firedamp was caused by the emission of a spark from a telephone in use at the colliery; and will he take immediate steps to inform colliery managers of the danger caused by the continuance of the use of such telephones as those in use at Gresford?

The SECRETARY for MINES (Captain Crookshank)

Yes, Sir. I am aware that. among the suggestions made to the Court of Inquiry as to possible causes of the explosion at Gresford was one by Mr. Charlton that the explosion might have been started by the operation of an underground telephone. As regards the second part, the use of telephones in which there is a risk of open sparking is prohibited in any part of a mine in which gas though not normally present is likely to occur in quantity sufficient to be indicative of danger and the precautions necessary to comply with this regulation have been repeatedly emphasised in the annual reports of my Department, in a special safety pamphlet, and in circulars issued in 1933 and 1935 to colliery owners and managers. I will send the hon. Member copies of these circulars and pamphlet.

Mr. DAVIES

If this circular has been sent round to the managers, ought not this gentleman who advances this ridiculous theory to have known about it and ought he not to have examined this telephone for which he was responsible and which he now claims caused the ignition?

Captain CROOKSHANK

As the inquiry is going on, I do not feel at liberty to make any comments on any statements made before it.

Mr. DAVIES

In view of the fact that this is the third colliery explosion that the hon. Gentleman's Department has atrributed to defective telephones or signalling apparatus, and particularly in view of the fact that Mr. Charlton had one of these in his division, ought he not to have seen to it that this telephone was in proper order?

Captain CROOKSHANK

It is not the case that my Department has made any statement at all. Mr. Charlton mentioned this as one of many suggestions of a possible cause of the disaster, but he did not pin himself down to it as the exact cause.

Mr. LAWSON

When is the House likely to hear the report of this investigation; or is it to continue for all time?

Captain CROOKSHANK

The inquiry is not yet closed.