Bridgeness Colliery explosion, 1915

A shot fired at the face set off an explosion of firedamp in a stone mine at Bridgeness No. 2 pit, Grangepans, on 17 February 1915, burning five men; the fireman died two days later and a miner with a broken spine seven months later.

Cause

An explosion of firedamp following a shot fired at the face.

What happened

About half past seven on the morning of 17 February 1915 men in the Bridgeness Coal Company's No. 2 pit at Grangepans, Bo'ness, were driving a stone mine from the pit bottom to the Smithy coal. The official fireman had inspected the pit before work and found it clear, and Charles Sneddon had checked his own place minutes before. Soon after Sneddon fired a shot at the face, an explosion of firedamp followed, the flame passing over the men and travelling towards the shaft.

Hugh Bell and William Meldrum were thrown against the building; the place was plunged into darkness and the others groped their way to the pit bottom. Richard Robertson, Sneddon's drawer, was shielded by the hutch he was pushing, and Sneddon credited his moleskin waistcoat. Two men from the pit bottom, James Birnie and J. Sneddon, came in with safety lamps and found Bell and Robert Smellie, the fireman, and later Meldrum, and the three were taken out in hutches. Bell, with a fractured spine and burns, and Smellie, badly burned, were taken by ambulance to the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh. Smellie died there on 19 February; Bell died on 17 September 1915 at the Longmore Hospital for Incurables.

Rescue & recovery

Men from the pit bottom went in with safety lamps and brought the three most badly hurt out in hutches.

Recorded claims

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

• The explosion was about 7.30 a.m. on 17 February 1915 in No. 2 pit, Grangepans. ^1,2
• Five men were injured; Hugh Bell had a fractured spine and burns, and Robert Smellie severe burns. ^1,2
• Robert Sneddon Smellie died on 19 February 1915 and Hugh Chalmers Bell on 17 September 1915. ²
• Two lives were lost. ^3,1,4
• The explosion followed a shot fired at the face by Charles Sneddon. ²
• The pit belonged to the Bridgeness Coal Company. ^2,4

Related terminology

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

• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “A shot fired at the face set off an explosion of firedamp in a stone mine at Bridgeness No. 2 pit, Grangepans, on 17 February…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…No. 2 pit, Grangepans, on 17 February 1915, burning five men; the fireman died two days later and a miner with a broken spine seven months…”
• Putter (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…groped their way to the pit bottom. Richard Robertson, Sneddon's drawer, was shielded by the hutch he was pushing, and Sneddon credited his…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…men from the pit bottom, James Birnie and J. Sneddon, came in with safety lamps and found Bell and Robert Smellie, the fireman, and later Meldrum,…”
• Tub (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the narrative: “…pit bottom. Richard Robertson, Sneddon's drawer, was shielded by the hutch he was pushing, and Sneddon credited his moleskin waistcoat. Two men…”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Bridgeness No. 2, 17 February 1915 — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Hugh Chalmers Bell, Bridgeness No. 2 Pit, 1915 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Bridgeness Colliery — Durham Mining Museum, from the Lists of Mines
4. (primary) NMRS Coal Mining Accidents and Deaths: Robert Sneddon Smellie, Bridgeness No. 2 Pit, 1915 — Northern Mine Research Society

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