Risca colliery disasters

The Black Vein Colliery was opened in the early 1840s by John Russell of the Risca Iron and Coal Company, employing more than 350.{{cite journal|last1=Lovering|first1=G.W.J.|title=A View of the County, c.1850|journal=Gwent Local History|date=Autumn 1995|issue=79|pages=2–24|url=https://journals.library.wales/view/1337678/1339581/4|publisher=Gwent Local History Council|access-date=26 March 2018|issn=0308-0374|via=Welsh Journals}} By 1842 the Black Vein colliery was already gaining a reputation as being accident prone with 3 colliers dying from an explosion of firedamp. Accidents and deaths happened so regularly that it became known as being one of the most dangerous in the coalfield.{{cite book|title=Reports from Commissioners: Gases and Explosions in Collieries|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_3RbAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA29|year=1847|pages=29–39}}

The first explosion causing large numbers of deaths at Black Vein was in January 1846.{{cite web|title=Black Vein Death Rolls|url=http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/deathrolls/Blackvein.htm|website=Welsh Coal Mines|access-date=16 September 2016}}

Local newspapers reported that around 150 men were working in different sides of the mine workings, but the explosion only affected one area. Miners working elsewhere were not aware of any noise but just felt a strong current of air. 35 were killed; 4 burned, 30 suffocated and 1 was hit by a carriage at the bottom of the shaft.{{cite news |newspaper=The Welshman|title=Tremendous Colliery Explosion|date=1846-01-23 |hdl=10107/4364654 |hdl-access=free |via=Welsh Newspapers}}

The coroners court, held at the Albert Inn in Risca in February 1846, found that the cause of death was by an accidental explosion.{{cite news |newspaper=Monmouthshire Merlin |title=The late Fatal Explosion at Risca |date=7 February 1846 |hdl=10107/3425253 |hdl-access=free |via=Welsh Newspapers}} A further inquest decided that the explosion was caused by the miners using naked candles and poor ventilation. Mine inspectors also cited the relative inexperience of miners who had recently arrived from Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.{{cite journal|last1=Lovering|first1=G.W.J.|title=Herbert Francis Mackworth and the Coal Industry in Monmouthshire, 1851-1858|journal=Gwent Local History|date=Spring 1996|issue=80|pages=21–30|url=https://journals.library.wales/view/1337678/1339634/22|publisher=Gwent Local History Council|access-date=26 March 2018|issn=0308-0374|via=Welsh Journals}} It was said that out of the 35 who died, only one was Welsh and he had been reluctant to continue working as he thought an accident was inevitable.

It was also reported that there had been a series of mishaps and the coalface had not been properly checked when work began. The dayshift fireman was sick so instead his brother was sent to check the mine. He was said to have been using his coat to beat out the gas when the explosion occurred.

6 of the victims were aged 11–14, 16 were aged 19–29 and 8 were aged 30–46.{{cite news |title=The Late Colliery Explosion at Risca |newspaper=The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette |date=1846-01-24 |hdl=10107/3088621 |hdl-access=free |via=Welsh Newspapers}}

Another explosion in March 1853 occurred at the entrance to No.13 about half a mile from the bottom of the pit.{{cite book | last=Owen | first=David | title=South Wales collieries / Mining disasters | publisher=Tempus| year=2005 | isbn=0-7524-3564-7| page=}}

7 people initially died - two boys of 12 and 13, one of 16 and the rest in their early 20s.{{cite news |title=Fatal Colliery Explosion |newspaper=The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette |date=1853-03-19 |hdl=10107/3090483 |hdl-access=free |via=Welsh Newspapers}}

Three other men survived the explosion but died later. A coroner's inquest subsequently found that one of the men who initially survived was responsible for the explosion due to the use of a naked candle rather than a safety lamp{{cite news |newspaper=Monmouthshire Merlin |title=Colliery Explosion at Risca |date=1 April 1853 |page=5 |hdl=10107/3395622 |hdl-access=free |via=Welsh Newspapers}} and that a ventilation door had been left open.

In the morning of the 1 December 1860, a large explosion ripped through the Black Vein pit killing more than 140.

By 1872 the colliery had changed ownership several times and a new pit, with much deeper shafts,{{cite book|last1=Jones|first1=Alan Victor|title=Risca - its industrial and social development|date=1980|publisher=New Horizon|location=Bognor Regis|isbn=0-86116-472-5}} was sunk to extract more of the coal in the Black Vein between the (more modern) villages of Crosskeys and Wattsville.

A change to three shifts and extraction methods had worried the miners, who believed that the face moved forwards too fast and that gas was not being dispersed sufficiently.

A watch found on one of the bodies had stopped at 1.30 am, showing the time of the explosion.

In the middle of the night of 15 July 1880, a large explosion in the New Risca colliery killed more than 120.

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Category:Coal mining disasters in Wales

Category:Underground mines in Wales

Category:19th century in Monmouthshire