Aber Colliery explosion, 1888

Gas that had gathered while the fan stood idle over the weekend ignited at Aber Colliery, Ogmore Vale, on 14 May 1888, killing five of the seven men who had gone in, when the men followed the fireman in instead of waiting while he examined the workings.

Cause

Firedamp that accumulated while the ventilating fan was stopped from Saturday afternoon to Sunday night ignited at the naked lights of the men who had followed the fireman into the workings.

Contributing factors

The house-coal level was thought so free of gas that it was worked with naked lights and its fan was stopped every weekend, from Saturday afternoon until 9 p.m. on Sunday.

What happened

Aber worked the No. 2 Rhondda seam from a level and was regarded as so safe that the fan was stopped on Saturday afternoons and not restarted until nine on Sunday night. Shortly before midnight on Sunday 13 May seven men went in. One of them, Joseph Rees, acted as fireman, as he always did, and went to examine the workings with a safety lamp; instead of waiting at the station for his report, the others went with him or followed him into the road, against General Rule 4, and the gas fired. Five were killed. The two survivors had to make their way out through the afterdamp.

Investigation & inquiry

The coroner considered the verdict equivalent to manslaughter against the manager and undermanager, but the case was dismissed by the magistrates. The agent, manager and undermanager were then charged under the Mines Act with breaching the first General Rule: the case against the agent was dismissed, and the manager and undermanager were fined £10 and £5.

Legal & regulatory aftermath

The manager and undermanager were fined £10 and £5 under the Mines Act for a breach of the first General Rule; manslaughter charges against them were dismissed by the magistrates.

Recorded claims

Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.

• Gas ignited in the workings on 14 May 1888 and killed five of the seven men underground. ^1,2,3,4
• The ventilating fan was stopped from Saturday afternoon until Sunday night. ^3,4
• The men went with or after the fireman instead of waiting at the station while he examined the workings. ⁴
• Manslaughter charges were dismissed; the manager and undermanager were fined £10 and £5 under the Mines Act. ^3,4

Related terminology

Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.

• Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…were killed. The two survivors had to make their way out through the afterdamp.”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…five of the seven men who had gone in, when the men followed the fireman in instead of waiting while he examined the workings.”
• Level (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the contributing factors: “The house-coal level was thought so free of gas that it was worked with naked lights and…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…was stopped from Saturday afternoon to Sunday night ignited at the naked lights of the men who had followed the fireman into the workings.”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…fireman, as he always did, and went to examine the workings with a safety lamp; instead of waiting at the station for his report, the others went…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1888 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Aber Colliery Ogmore Vale (Welsh Coal Mines) — Welsh Coal Mines
3. (secondary) Aber Colliery (Northern Mine Research Society) — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (secondary) Aber Colliery Fire, Ogmore Vale, 1888 (Northern Mine Research Society) — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 6 October 2026