HC Deb 02 February 1931 vol 247 cc1462-3W
Mr. D. GRENFELL

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give the figures showing the number of separate explosions of firedamp having fatal consequences which were reported for each of the last 20 years?

Mr. SHINWELL

The particulars are as follow:

Explosions of Firedamp or Coal Dust.
Year. Number of Separate Fatal Accidents. Number of Deaths.
1911 … 23 36
1912 … 20 124
1913 … 12 462
1914 … 10 26
1915 … 16 41
1916 … 8 22
1917 … 9 20
1918 … 6 160
1919 … 15 27
1920 … 16 26
1921* … 15 19
1922 … 14 73
1923 … 16 60
1924 … 48 35
1925 … 11 29
1926* … 5 5
1927 … 11 72
1928 … 15 36
1929 … 13 34
1930 … 18 70
* In these years work at coal mines was reduced by protracted disputes.