Disasters

Explosions, floods, collapses and other major incidents at UK mines — including significant post-closure incidents in abandoned workings. Each record is researched to the same standard as a mine or terminology entry, not just a casualty count.

The 100 disasters most recently added, of 1165, newest first.

Disaster	Date	Type	Region	Fatalities
Thornley Colliery fall of stone, 1863 A fall of stone at the Thornley Coal Company's colliery in County Durham killed a shifter and a twelve-year-old trapper on 8 September 1863.	8 September 1863	Collapse / Roof Fall	County Durham	2
Fairbottom Colliery rope accident, 1861 Three colliers died at Leeses and Booth's Fairbottom Colliery, near Ashton-under-Lyne, on 13 February 1861 when the winding rope broke in the Wood Park pit.	13 February 1861	Winding / Shaft Accident	Greater Manchester	3
Mosley Common Colliery winding accident, 1869 Two men died at the Bridgewater Trustees' Mosley Common Colliery in September 1869 when the winding drum came out of gear as they went down the pumping pit.	25 or 26 September 1869	Winding / Shaft Accident	Greater Manchester	2
Bickershaw Colliery fall of stone, 1864 A thirteen-year-old horse driver and a collier were killed by a fall of stone at Ackers, Whitley and Company's Bickershaw Colliery on 27 April 1864.	27 April 1864	Collapse / Roof Fall	Greater Manchester	2
Rose Bridge Colliery roof fall, 1863 Two colliers, William Alkar and Thomas Thorp, were killed by a fall of roof at Case and Morris's Rose Bridge Colliery, Ince, on 19 January 1863.	19 January 1863	Collapse / Roof Fall	Greater Manchester	2
Silverdale Colliery fall of coal, 1857 J. Lunt and S. Plat were killed together by a fall of coals at Silverdale Colliery, North Staffordshire, on 4 September 1857.	4 September 1857	Collapse / Roof Fall	Staffordshire	2
Bradford Colliery roof fall, 1863 Two miners were killed at Bradford Colliery in Manchester on 23 April 1863 when the roof came in as they cut through into old workings.	23 April 1863	Collapse / Roof Fall	Greater Manchester	2
Nunnery Colliery roof fall, 1879 A fall of roof at the Nunnery Coal Company's colliery in Sheffield killed a 62-year-old contractor and a trammer on 18 October 1879.	18 October 1879	Collapse / Roof Fall	South Yorkshire	2
Nunnery Colliery overwinding, 1867 Two sinkers, Thomas Jepson and Samuel Slack, were killed by an overwind at the Duke of Norfolk's Nunnery Colliery, Sheffield, on 25 March 1867.	25 March 1867	Winding / Shaft Accident	South Yorkshire	2
Wynnstay Colliery shot accident, 1869 Four men died of burns at the New British Iron Company's Wynnstay Colliery, Ruabon, on 13 March 1869 when a shot blew out in the main coal.	13 March 1869	Explosion	Wrexham	4
Clay Cross Colliery roof fall, 1866 Two colliers, Augustus Cupid and George Holmes, were killed by a fall of roof in No. 4 pit at Clay Cross Colliery, Derbyshire, on 11 June 1866.	11 June 1866	Collapse / Roof Fall	Derbyshire	2
Pelsall Hall Colliery roof fall, 1867 Two bandsmen, R. Parr and J. Starkey, were killed by a fall of coal and rock between two slips in the shallow coal at Pelsall Hall Colliery on 10 January 1867.	10 January 1867	Collapse / Roof Fall	West Midlands	2
High Brooks Colliery overwinding, 1864 Two colliers, Robert Pilling and Stephen Webster, were killed by an overwind at Mercer and Evans' High Brooks Colliery near Wigan on 21 December 1864.	21 December 1864	Winding / Shaft Accident	Greater Manchester	2
Pendleton Colliery shot accident, 1867 Two Pendleton miners, James Horscroft and John Smith, died of burns after a shot fired ten yards away blew out its stemming on 11 June 1867; Smith died a week later and Horscroft after twelve days.	11 June 1867	Explosion	Greater Manchester	2
Hattonrigg Colliery overwinding, 1910 Eight men died at Hattonrigg Colliery, Bellshill, on 19 January 1910 when the cage bringing them up at the end of the shift was overwound, broke from its rope and fell 192 fathoms down the shaft.	19 January 1910	Winding / Shaft Accident	North Lanarkshire	8
Cotmanhay Colliery roof fall, 1852 A boy, Abraham Bostock, and Abraham Cook were killed together by a fall of roof at Barber, Walker's Cotmanhay Colliery, Ilkeston, on 17 July 1852.	17 July 1852	Collapse / Roof Fall	Derbyshire	2
Stoneclough Colliery fall of coal, 1861 Two colliers named Atherton were killed together by a fall of coal while holing in the Trencherbone mine at Stoneclough on 18 September 1861.	18 September 1861	Collapse / Roof Fall	Greater Manchester	2
Stoneclough Colliery rope accident, 1862 Two men died at Stoneclough Colliery on the last day of 1862 when the wire shaft rope broke at the Little Hey Yard Mine pit.	31 December 1862	Winding / Shaft Accident	Greater Manchester	2
Stoneclough Colliery explosion, 1901 Four men, the colliery manager among them, died at Stoneclough Colliery in Kearsley on 8 July 1901 when firedamp they were trying to clear by waving their waistcoats was fired, probably at a candle.	8 July 1901	Explosion	Greater Manchester	4
Blackleyhurst Colliery cage accident, 1864 Six men and boys, four of them drawers aged twelve to fifteen, died at Samuel Stock's Blackleyhurst Colliery on 1 July 1864 when the cages collided in the shaft after one had slipped out of its guide rods.	1 July 1864	Winding / Shaft Accident	Greater Manchester	6
Markham Colliery overwind, 1887 An overwind in the new No. 2 shaft at the Staveley company's Markham Colliery, near Chesterfield, killed four sinkers on 3 October 1887.	3 October 1887	Winding / Shaft Accident	Derbyshire	4
West Cannock Colliery gob fire explosion, 1887 Gases given off by a gob fire exploded at West Cannock Colliery, Hednesford, on 21 September 1887, burning three rock rippers who died over the following fortnight.	21 September 1887	Explosion	Staffordshire	3
Silverdale Colliery explosion, 1878 A shot fired in the Eight Feet seam of Silverdale's No. 6 pit on 7 June 1878 brought an explosion that killed a man of 40 and two boys of 16 and 14.	7 June 1878	Explosion	Staffordshire	3
Manvers Main Colliery sinking accident, 1869 Sinkers at Manvers Main Colliery, near Rotherham, went back down on 14 December 1869 to drill out a shot that had missed fire, against the rules and under their master sinker; it exploded and killed two.	14 December 1869	Explosion	South Yorkshire	2
Morley Main Colliery explosion, 1865 An explosion of firedamp at the Ackroyds' Morley Main Colliery, near Leeds, killed three on 26 January 1865, one of them a boy.	26 January 1865	Explosion	West Yorkshire	3
Whitwood Colliery explosion, 1889 Gas burst from a fault in the new Drift district of Whitwood Colliery, near Normanton, on 21 August 1889 and fired at a driver boy's candle; the blast killed one man, fatally burned another and blew down doors 300 yards away.	21 August 1889	Explosion	West Yorkshire	2
Wyken Colliery haulage accident, 1889 A hook coupling three tubs of men to the haulage rope at Wyken Colliery, near Coventry, broke on 16 September 1889; the train ran away down an 800-yard incline and was wrecked, killing three of the seven riders.	16 September 1889	Haulage / Transport	West Midlands	3
Black Vein Colliery fall of coal, 1869 A fall of coal at Black Vein Colliery, Risca, on 27 February 1869 injured two colliers, a young man and one of 65; both died of their injuries within six weeks.	27 February 1869	Collapse / Roof Fall	Caerphilly	2
Mosley Common Colliery haulage accident, 1881 Two young miners at the Bridgewater Trustees' Mosley Common Colliery were killed on 20 September 1881 after apparently jumping onto moving tubs on a gig-brow and overturning them.	20 September 1881	Haulage / Transport	Greater Manchester	2
Clifton Hall Colliery scalding accident, 1870 A bricklayer and a labourer at Andrew Knowles and Sons' Clifton Hall Colliery, near Manchester, were scalded to death by steam on 30 March 1870.	30 March 1870	Other	Greater Manchester	2
North Gawber Colliery explosion, 1861 A miner carried a lighted candle into the goaf at North Gawber Colliery, near Barnsley, on 4 February 1861 just after a roof fall had set gas free; three men were burned and two died.	4 February 1861	Explosion	South Yorkshire	2
Shortwood Colliery inrush, 1852 Water from old workings broke into the shaft at Shortwood Colliery, near Pucklechurch, on 6 December 1852 and drowned two colliers; there were no plans of the old workings and no precautions.	6 December 1852	Flooding / Inundation	South Gloucestershire	2
Shevington Colliery explosion, 1857 Two drawers at Shevington Colliery, near Wigan, walked past the danger signal into a disused part of the Arley Mine on 17 November 1857 and fired the gas that had gathered there.	17 November 1857	Explosion	Greater Manchester	2
Clay Cross Colliery explosion, 1864 A sudden outburst of gas near the face at Clay Cross on 19 May 1864 reached the colliers' naked lights and exploded, killing two men.	19 May 1864	Explosion	Derbyshire	2
Clay Cross Colliery rope accident, 1858 A new wire winding rope at Clay Cross broke near the drum on 18 January 1858 as four miners began to descend after dinner, dropping their cage down the shaft; the inspector could find no fault in the rope.	18 January 1858	Winding / Shaft Accident	Derbyshire	4
Dinas Colliery cage accident, 1884 Two men riding up the shaft at Dinas Colliery in the Rhondda on 8 November 1884 were thrown out when the cage, thought to be overcrowded, caught the shaft sides, and fell 60 yards.	8 November 1884	Winding / Shaft Accident	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Bettisfield Colliery explosion, 1884 An explosion of gas at Bettisfield Colliery, Bagillt, on the Flintshire shore of the Dee, killed two colliers on 2 October 1884.	2 October 1884	Explosion	Flintshire	2
Newbattle Colliery crane accident, 1869 A loaded crane at the Marquis of Lothian's Newbattle Colliery overpowered the six men switching it into single gear on 9 October 1869, killing two labourers.	9 October 1869	Machinery	Midlothian	2
Gwendraeth Colliery explosion, 1866 An explosion of gas at Daniel Watney's Gwendraeth Colliery, Pontyberem, killed a collier and a thirteen-year-old boy on 16 October 1866.	16 October 1866	Explosion	Carmarthenshire	2
Lower Duffryn Colliery fall of coal, 1862 Two brothers, James and John Perkins, were crushed by a twenty-ton fall of coal in their stall at the Lower Duffryn (Cwmpennar) Colliery, near Aberdare, in December 1862.	16 December 1862	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Govan Colliery powder explosion, 1862 A store of gunpowder in a cabin near the pit bottom of Govan No. 2 pit, Glasgow, exploded on 6 February 1862, apparently when a roadsman took a naked light in to help himself, killing two men.	6 February 1862	Explosion	Glasgow	2
Portland Colliery explosion, 1858 Lads carrying naked lights into a gassy exploring mine at Portland Colliery, near Kilmarnock, on 14 July 1858 fired the gas the men were wafting out, killing two drawers aged 18 and 12.	14 July 1858	Explosion	East Ayrshire	2
Muirkirk Colliery fall of coal, 1855 Two men named Gibson were killed together by a fall of coal at the face in the Muirkirk collieries on 1 June 1855.	1 June 1855	Collapse / Roof Fall	East Ayrshire	2
Grove Colliery shaft accident, 1855 Two colliers fell to their deaths from a stage being lowered down the shaft of the Grove Pit, Kilgetty, on 14 May 1855, a year before the pit was opened for coal.	14 May 1855	Winding / Shaft Accident	Pembrokeshire	2
Tranent Colliery shaft accident, 1854 Two men working from a hanging scaffold in a shaft at Tranent Colliery fell to the bottom of the pit on 31 August 1854 when the crane holding the scaffold got out of gear.	31 August 1854	Winding / Shaft Accident	East Lothian	2
Seaton Delaval Colliery roof fall, 1889 A fall of roof at Seaton Delaval Colliery, Northumberland, killed two stowers, John Lynn and George Perry, on 26 January 1889.	26 January 1889	Collapse / Roof Fall	Northumberland	2
Bardykes Colliery roof fall, 1909 Four men cutting a manhole beside a self-acting incline at Bardykes Colliery were caught by a fall of roof on 6 September 1909; the night overman and a miner were killed.	6 September 1909	Collapse / Roof Fall	South Lanarkshire	2
Lassodie Colliery shaft accident, 1866 Two young colliers at Lassodie Colliery, near Dunfermline, were killed on 29 May 1866 when stones fell from the side of the shaft.	29 May 1866	Winding / Shaft Accident	Fife	2
Seaham Colliery explosion, 1860 Two shifters blasting down a stone in the roof at Seaham Colliery on 24 September 1860 fired a pocket of gas and were killed; the forty other men in the pit were unhurt.	24 September 1860	Explosion	County Durham	2
Lumley Colliery shaft accident, 1866 Two hewers waiting to ride the shaft at the Earl of Durham's Lumley Colliery were killed on 21 July 1866 when a chain fell down the shaft on them.	21 July 1866	Winding / Shaft Accident	County Durham	2
Canderrigg Colliery explosion, 1906 An old electric lamp fitted above a box of gunpowder and gelignite burst when switched on at Canderrigg Colliery's Broomfield No. 4 pit on 8 August 1906, setting off the explosives and killing three of the four men in the room.	8 August 1906	Explosion	South Lanarkshire	3
Milnwood Colliery explosion, 1865 Firedamp that had gathered behind a new connection at Milnwood Colliery, Lanarkshire, flowed down a blind pit on 29 March 1865 and fired at the lights of two colliers, who died of their injuries.	29 March 1865	Explosion	North Lanarkshire	2
North Hetton Colliery boiler explosion, 1864 A boiler at North Hetton (Moorsley) Colliery burst on 30 July 1864, hurling its pieces over the pit village; both firemen and an eleven-month-old child in a nearby cottage were killed.	30 July 1864	Machinery	Tyne and Wear	3
Caprington Colliery inrush, 1855 Three men at Caprington Colliery, near Kilmarnock, were drowned on 19 September 1855 when their working holed into an old waste full of water.	19 September 1855	Flooding / Inundation	East Ayrshire	3
Greenfield Colliery shaft accident, 1872 The winding rope at Greenfield Colliery, Hamilton, snapped on 16 October 1872 as three men neared the surface, and their cage fell 100 fathoms to the shaft bottom.	16 October 1872	Winding / Shaft Accident	South Lanarkshire	3
Dulais Colliery explosion, 1907 Gas fired in the new pit at Dulais Colliery, Onllwyn, before dawn on 9 September 1907, burning four men; three died in Swansea Hospital over the following eleven days.	9 September 1907	Explosion	Neath Port Talbot	3
Markham Colliery roof fall, 1920 A fall of between 100 and 200 tons of roof at Markham Colliery in May 1920 killed two timbermen who were securing ground after an earlier fall.	12 May 1920	Collapse / Roof Fall	Caerphilly	2
Markham Colliery shaft explosion, 1912 Gas exploded in the north sinking shaft at Markham Colliery on the afternoon of Saturday 18 May 1912, killing five sinkers and surface men and throwing the two-ton shaft bowk fifty yards.	18 May 1912	Explosion	Caerphilly	5
Elliot Colliery roof fall, 1915 A small fall at the East Elliot Colliery pinned a fireman on 30 December 1915, and a much bigger one buried the men who went to free him, killing four.	30 December 1915	Collapse / Roof Fall	Caerphilly	4
Glynea Colliery fall of coal, 1908 Twenty tons of coal fell from the upper bed of the Fiery vein at Glynea Colliery, Bynea, on 5 November 1908, burying two colliers and a boy.	5 November 1908	Collapse / Roof Fall	Carmarthenshire	3
Glyn Pits cage accident, 1892 A cage carrying eight men down the Glyn Colliery shaft at Pontypool came down on a broken pump rod near the top in February 1892 and tipped, killing a collier and a boy.	26 February 1892	Winding / Shaft Accident	Torfaen	2
Trimsaran Colliery explosion, 1886 Firedamp exploded at Trimsaran Colliery, near Kidwelly, about midnight on 19 November 1886, fatally burning three colliers; one of their lamps was found with its gauze off.	19 November 1886	Explosion	Carmarthenshire	3
Elliot Colliery explosion, 1885 Gas released by a roof fall exploded among a repair gang near the bottom of the new Elliot pit, New Tredegar, on 1 October 1885, burning a dozen men and boys; two or three later died.	1 October 1885	Explosion	Caerphilly	2
Deep Navigation Colliery shaft accident, 1884 A corroded winding rope snapped as five men were lowered in a bowk at Harris's Navigation Colliery, Treharris, on 12 December 1884; four fell 700 yards and one clung to a guide rope and survived.	12 December 1884	Winding / Shaft Accident	Merthyr Tydfil	4
Aberaman Colliery shaft accident, 1883 A stone falling from the unwalled side of the Aberaman shaft tipped the ascending cage on 15 June 1883 and threw two hauliers to their deaths; the jury censured the colliery's officials.	15 June 1883	Winding / Shaft Accident	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Glamorgan Colliery roof fall, 1881 A fall killed three repairers ripping the roof of an incline road in the Glamorgan Colliery, Llwynypia, around midnight on 30 April 1881, minutes after they were warned.	30 April 1881	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	3
Buxtons Colliery explosion, 1865 Gas exploded in the Four Feet vein of Buxton's Pit, Dowlais, on 29 May 1865, killing between two and four of the Dowlais Iron Company's workers, among them a door boy of twelve.	29 May 1865	Explosion	Merthyr Tydfil	2
New Tredegar Colliery explosion, 1858 Firedamp exploded in New Tredegar Colliery before dawn on 11 September 1858, when a haulier took a naked light into gas while the pit was being readied after a strike; two or three men died.	11 September 1858	Explosion	Caerphilly	2
McLaren Colliery roof fall, 1900 A fall of coal and clod killed a collier and his young assistant at the No. 2 McLaren pit, Abertysswg, on 20 June 1900, three years after its first shaft was sunk.	20 June 1900	Collapse / Roof Fall	Caerphilly	2
Gelli Colliery roof fall, 1902 A big fall of roof killed two veteran timbermen working an extra half-shift at Gelli Colliery, Ystrad Rhondda, on 1 September 1902.	1 September 1902	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Pentre Colliery runaway journey, 1894 A train of trams broke loose in a drift at Pentre Colliery, Rhondda, on 31 August 1894, killing a shackler and fatally injuring a door boy of 13.	31 August 1894	Haulage / Transport	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Cwrt Herbert Colliery roof fall, 1892 A fall of roof killed two colliers at the start of the night shift at Cwrt Herbert Colliery, Neath, on 20 July 1892.	20 July 1892	Collapse / Roof Fall	Neath Port Talbot	2
Great Western Colliery arch collapse, 1884 An underground arch being built at the Great Western Colliery, Hopkinstown, collapsed on New Year's Day 1884 when a prop gave way, killing the two masons building it.	1 January 1884	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Great Western Colliery roof fall, 1875 Falls of roof killed two men repairing a steam-heated return airway at the Great Western Colliery, Hopkinstown, on Sunday 4 July 1875.	4 July 1875	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Gethin Colliery railway accident, 1879 An engine on Crawshay's Gethin colliery railway ran into unlit coal trucks in the dark on 17 January 1879, crushing three lads riding on its front.	17 January 1879	Haulage / Transport	Merthyr Tydfil	3
Kay's Slope roof fall, 1892 The roof of Kay's Slope fell on two men talking in the roadway on their way out of the Blaenavon pit on 4 May 1892, killing both.	4 May 1892	Collapse / Roof Fall	Torfaen	2
Penallta Colliery runaway drams, 1913 Three drams of rubbish ran away down an incline at Penallta Colliery on 25 February 1913, killing a mason contractor and his labourer and injuring two more men.	25 February 1913	Haulage / Transport	Caerphilly	2
Gelli Colliery roof fall, 1894 A horse knocked out the timbers as two young hauliers tried to re-rail a tram at Gelli Colliery, Ystrad Rhondda, on 6 November 1894, burying them both.	6 November 1894	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Gelli Colliery roof fall, 1895 A fall of roof killed three men of a repairing gang in a roadway at Gelli Colliery, Ystrad Rhondda, on 9 March 1895.	9 March 1895	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	3
Caerau Colliery roof fall, 1925 A second fall buried an overman and a repairer clearing a roof fall at Caerau Colliery, Maesteg, on 5 October 1925; both suffocated before they could be freed.	5 October 1925	Collapse / Roof Fall	Bridgend	2
Windsor Colliery roof fall, 1910 A repairer barring down the roof and a haulier watching him were killed by a fall at Windsor Colliery, Abertridwr, on 5 February 1910.	5 February 1910	Collapse / Roof Fall	Caerphilly	2
Abercynon Colliery roof fall, 1913 A fall of about twenty-five drams of roof killed two repairers clearing an earlier fall at Abercynon Colliery on 10 June 1913.	10 June 1913	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Pochin Colliery roof fall, 1888 A fall of clod at the face killed a 19-year-old collier and a boy of 12 at Pochin Colliery, near Tredegar, on 20 August 1888, hours after the place was passed as safe.	20 August 1888	Collapse / Roof Fall	Blaenau Gwent	2
Cambrian Colliery shaft accident, 1892 A squeeze in the Cambrian No. 2 shaft at Clydach Vale pushed out its lining early on 8 August 1892, burying three men cleaning the sump and killing two.	8 August 1892	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Bedwellty Pits roof fall, 1881 A fall of stone killed a collier and his boy at Bedwellty Pits, Tredegar, on 18 January 1881, under roof that had been tested less than an hour before.	18 January 1881	Collapse / Roof Fall	Blaenau Gwent	2
Werfa Colliery roof fall, 1876 A runaway dram knocked out the supports and brought down the roof on two young workers clearing rubbish at Werfa Colliery, Abernant, on 15 July 1876.	15 July 1876	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Merthyr Vale Colliery roof fall, 1890 A fall of clod between the face and the gob wall killed a wasteman and his 14-year-old assistant at Merthyr Vale Colliery on 6 November 1890.	6 November 1890	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Merthyr Vale Colliery arch collapse, 1875 Two carpenters were killed and a third man hurt when an arch fell at Merthyr Vale Colliery on 29 October 1875, the year the colliery opened.	29 October 1875	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Park Slip Colliery explosion, 1884 An explosion of gas at Park Slip Colliery, Tondu, on 2 April 1884 killed two men, one of them the manager's son, and injured seventeen.	2 April 1884	Explosion	Bridgend	2
Gelli Colliery shaft accident, 1878 Two sinkers were killed in the Gelli sinking pit in the Rhondda on 31 May 1878, while the colliery was being deepened to the steam coal seams.	31 May 1878	Winding / Shaft Accident	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Graig Colliery explosion, 1925 Gas fired during shotfiring at Graig Colliery, Abercanaid, on 19 January 1925 killed a collier and his seventeen-year-old assistant and burned the fireman.	19 January 1925	Explosion	Merthyr Tydfil	2
Lower Duffryn Colliery explosion, 1867 A shot fired in a gassy stall in the Nine Feet seam at Lower Duffryn (Cwmpennar), Mountain Ash, on 2 May 1867 set off an explosion that killed two or three men, the shotfirer among them.	2 May 1867	Explosion	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Bedwellty Pits explosion, 1880 A sudden outburst of gas fired by naked lights killed at least four men at Bedwellty Pits on the evening of 10 March 1880, less than a year after the previous explosion.	10 March 1880	Explosion	Blaenau Gwent	4
Bedwellty Pits explosion, 1879 An explosion of firedamp at Bedwellty Pits, south of Tredegar, on the night of 2 April 1879 killed three men outright and burned three more, who WCM records as dying in the weeks after.	2 April 1879	Explosion	Blaenau Gwent	3
Tower Colliery roof fall, 1913 A heavy fall of roof in the new Coronation Drift at Tower Colliery, Hirwaun, on 16 June 1913 killed three hard heading men the day before the drift was to send out its first coal.	16 June 1913	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	3
Naval Colliery shaft accident, 1893 A cage carrying men to clear a fouled rope in the Naval Colliery shaft at Penygraig struck the obstruction and overturned on 14 December 1893; three or four men were killed.	14 December 1893	Winding / Shaft Accident	Rhondda Cynon Taf	3
Albion Colliery shaft collapse, November 1886 The side of the shaft being sunk at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd, gave way on 4 November 1886, bringing down fresh walling on the sinkers and killing four.	4 November 1886	Collapse / Roof Fall	Rhondda Cynon Taf	4
Albion Colliery shaft accident, March 1886 Two sinkers were killed by falling fireclay while working in the side of the shaft being sunk at Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd, on 24 March 1886.	24 March 1886	Winding / Shaft Accident	Rhondda Cynon Taf	2
Seven Sisters Colliery explosion, 1943 An explosion of firedamp at Seven Sisters Colliery in the Dulais valley on 25 March 1943 killed five men; the inquest blamed a broken electric safety lamp.	25 March 1943	Explosion	Neath Port Talbot	5
Cadeby Main Colliery steam tank explosion, 1943 A steam receiving tank burst in the yard of Cadeby Main Colliery, Conisbrough, in March 1943, scalding four men who had stayed on for maintenance work; all four died.	27 March 1943	Machinery	South Yorkshire	4