Backworth Colliery explosion, 1928

A shot fired by a deputy in a ripping canch at Backworth's Eccles pit on 23 November 1928, after he had found gas there, ignited firedamp that burned the men on the tailgate and the face; four died.

Cause

Firedamp ignited by a shot fired by the deputy in a ripping canch, after gas had been found there.

What happened

About two in the afternoon of 23 November 1928 two stonemen were boring a shothole in the top canch of No. 22 tailgate, the intake to the D conveyor face in the Fifth West district of the Beaumont seam at Backworth Eccles Colliery, about a mile and a half from the shaft. One of them, Samuel Durrant, thought he smelt firedamp near the roof and told the deputy, Samuel Bell, who nonetheless charged and stemmed the hole. Bell then told the stonemen he could not fire because he had found gas, went off to tighten a brattice sheet some 300 yards away, and returned half an hour later. Told there seemed to be more air, he shouted a warning to the face and fired from 23 yards out.

A blast of flame ran out along the tailgate and down the face, severely burning the three men on the tailgate and two on the face, and burning others more slightly. Durrant was the only one in the swept area to survive; Bell and the stoneman John Hutton died of their burns over the following fortnight, and two men on the face also died. Nine hours later gas still lay near the roof at more than a third methane, and the barometer had fallen a full inch that day. The coroner's jury found that a proper examination would have found the gas and that Bell had been negligent in firing.

Investigation & inquiry

H.M. Inspector could not explain exactly how the gas was ignited and stressed the shotfiring orders and the barometer rule. The coroner's jury found the deputy negligent in firing.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• The two men on the face who died were Thomas McKenna and John Webster. (disputed) ¹
• Joseph Clark, 54, shifter, was injured by the explosion of gas and died the following day. (disputed) ^4,5

Recorded claims

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

• On 23 November 1928 an explosion of firedamp at Backworth Eccles Colliery killed four and slightly injured seven. ^1,2,3
• The deputy, Samuel Bell, died of his injuries on 29 November 1928. ^1,2
• The stoneman John Hutton died of his injuries on 8 December 1928. ^1,3
• The two men on the face who died were Thomas McKenna and John Webster. (disputed) ¹
• Joseph Clark, 54, shifter, was injured by the explosion of gas and died the following day. (disputed) ^4,5
• The deputy fired the shot after finding gas; the jury found him negligent. ¹
• The colliery was owned by Backworth Collieries Ltd. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Brattice (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…he could not fire because he had found gas, went off to tighten a brattice sheet some 300 yards away, and returned half an hour later. Told…”
• Deputy (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “A shot fired by a deputy in a ripping canch at Backworth's Eccles pit on 23 November 1928,…”
• Gate Road (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…he had found gas there, ignited firedamp that burned the men on the tailgate and the face; four died.”
• Ripping (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A shot fired by a deputy in a ripping canch at Backworth's Eccles pit on 23 November 1928, after he had…”
• Stoneman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Durrant was the only one in the swept area to survive; Bell and the stoneman John Hutton died of their burns over the following fortnight, and…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Backworth Eccles, 23 November 1928 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Samuel Bell, Backworth, 1928 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: John Hutton, Backworth Eccles Pit, 1928 — Northern Mine Research Society
4. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Backworth Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
5. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Joseph Clark, Backworth, 1928 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 18 October 2026 · Last researched: 18 October 2026