MineArchiveBlaendare Colliery explosion, 1901
Two masons walling an unventilated staple pit at Blaendare, near Pontypool, were killed on 28 February 1901 when gas under their staging fired at a naked light.
| Date | 28 February 1901 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Blaendare Colliery |
| Region | Torfaen |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 2 (Two killed: the masons William Amos and William Roberts. Three others were seriously burned.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
Firedamp that had accumulated under the staging in an unventilated staple pit ignited at naked lights.
Contributing factors
No provision had been made to ventilate the staple pit, and the men were using naked lights.
What happened
In February 1901 masons and labourers at Blaendare, near Pontypool, were walling a staple pit sunk from the New Vein to the lower seams, working from staging about four yards from the top. No provision had been made to ventilate the pit, and gas gathered beneath the scaffolding. On 28 February it fired at their naked lights. The masons William Amos, 15, and William Roberts were killed, and the mason Edward Long and two labourers were badly burned.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- On 28 February 1901 an explosion at Blaendare killed two masons, William Amos, 15, and William Roberts, and badly burned three others. 1,2
- The men were walling a staple pit from the New Vein to the lower seams, working on staging about four yards from the top. 1,2
- Gas had gathered under the scaffolding because no provision had been made to ventilate it, and it fired at their naked lights. 1,2
- The colliery belonged to the Blaendare Co. Ltd. 2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Firedamp (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s cause: “Firedamp that had accumulated under the staging in an unventilated staple pit…” - Naked Light (contextual relationship)
Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…killed on 28 February 1901 when gas under their staging fired at a naked light.”
Sources
- (secondary) Blaendare Drift, Pontypool — Welsh Coal Mines
- (secondary) William Henry Roberts, mason, Blaendare Co. Ltd slope, Pontypool, 28 February 1901 (accident record) — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026