On Tuesday 27th December 1892, The Cairney family of Blantyre had a narrow escape. That morning, the neighbours, suspecting something unusual, decided to break down the door of Daniel Cairney, a miner in Stonefield , Blantyre.
On getting inside, they immediately could smell gas and were horrified to find the whole family unconscious on the floor. The cause had come from a burst in the gas pipe. On examination of the pipe track, they found two large flames coming from the ground about 20 yards further along from the property.
The family had complained on an earlier Sunday of a peculiar smell outside and on the Monday Daniel Cairney had felt so ill he was unable to work.
If YOU have the name Cairney, perhaps these people are your ancestors and just maybe…… you could be here today only as a result of Daniel’s quick thinking neighbours!
