Part of the summary from the official Inquiry Report for “Blantyre Colliery Explosion” of 1877. Transcribed by myself word for word for the first time appearing online, this particular detailed section of the findings, summarises the explosion itself. A warning, this entry contains some descriptions of what the rescue parties found.
THE EXPLOSION
“The explosion extended throughout miles of the workings, and was of the most violent kind. The gas in a large portion of the workings had apparently been mixed to a most highly explosive state. The noise on the surface at the top of No.2 shaft is described as having been like a shot in a sinking pit, and a great volume of smoke and dust came to the top. At the top of No 3 shaft , the noise was like a steam pipe bursting or a sharp shot in a sinking pit, and was as quickly over, flame coming out of the shaft mouth. Flame seems to have extended through nearly all the working places, except at the north side and the adjoining rise workings of No 2 pit. The blast in many parts must have been terrific. Some human bodies were torn asunder.
“Props were driven away, stoppings blown out, air or trap doors and wooden bratticing shattered to pieces, tramways torn up; rails, sleepers and debris being mixed together as though shot out of a gun. In one fast place or cul de sac, through which there was no vent, the pressure had evidently been very great. In it was a group of six bodies, as though the men had been at breakfast. There were only slight traces of burning on them. One was lying face downwards, stark naked. Another with his head on one hand, but with the arm to which that hand belonged, torn 6 inches asunder at the elbow.
“In other fast places, where the pressure had not been so great, bodies were to be seen burnt at a few yards from the face; whilst those within two or three yards of the face, and the face itself were unburned. Some of these bodies were with the face outwards, as though the men had been working at the face when the first suck of the explosion came, and turning round to escape, had perished in the pressure, flame and afterdamp.
The general direction of the blast was from south to north, towards No.2 shaft and again increasing in intensity towards No.3 shaft. The force went also from No 3. shaft westwards towards No 2. Part of No 3 shaft had the timber torn out of it, and hutches and debris mixed with human remains blown into it. The far end of the north level from No.3 did not receive the full pressure, but there had been flame there. Two men came out of it alive, and another from the north dook or dip working. All three were so injured that one died before he was taken to the surface, and the other two died afterwards in the infirmary. The force seems to have been most violent in the south workings of No 2 pit, especially in Speir’s dook, which had been one of the noted places for yielding gas. Here the blast had acted both upwards and downwards and level going from about midway down the dook to another dook, called Clyde’s dook, was swept clean as with a brush.”
AI images the scene for Blantyre Project from this description.
