Carway Colliery outburst, 1944

An outburst of methane gas and fine coal in the 'Gowers' district of the Big Vein at Carway Colliery, Gwendraeth Valley, killed two colliers on the nightshift of 26 May 1944 -- the only outburst deaths in the mine's history.

Cause

A sudden outburst -- the instantaneous ejection of methane gas and fine coal from the working face under pressure, a hazard largely confined in Great Britain to the anthracite area of the South Wales Coalfield -- occurred at 12.30 am on the nightshift of 26 May 1944 in the 'Gowers' district of the Big Vein. An estimated 200 tons of fine dust and 600,000 cubic feet of methane were released. Joseph Sidney Eynon, 41, a collier of over twenty years' standing at the colliery, and James Owen, 41, were asphyxiated.

Contributing factors

The British Geological Survey's special memoir for the Gwendraeth Valley records outbursts as a recognised, unpredictable hazard of this specific coalfield, related to structural anomalies in the anthracite measures, and notes that BGS surveyors examined the strata in Carway Colliery itself among others to confirm the district's seam correlations. Carway had only four outbursts in its working life, a low figure for a valley the memoir and other sources describe as the worst in Britain for them; this was the only one to kill anybody at the mine.

What happened

The outburst struck the nightshift at 12.30 am on 26 May 1944. The bodies of Eynon and Owen were recovered and reached the surface by 4.30 am. Two other men were overcome by the gas and rescued alive.

Rescue & recovery

Three men from the colliery -- Willis Howard Edmunds, a fireman, John Llewellyn Davies, a repairer, and William Evans, a repairer -- went in after the outburst and brought out the two men who had been overcome but survived. For this they received the King's Commendation for Brave Conduct in September 1944 and Carnegie Hero Trust Certificates in December.

Investigation & inquiry

An inquest was held at Llanelli Town Hall; the cause of death was recorded as asphyxia. No source read for this pass gives the Mines Inspector's own report on the incident.

Recorded claims

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

• Three colliery workmen -- Willis Howard Edmunds, John Llewellyn Davies and William Evans -- rescued two men overcome by the gas, and were awarded the King's Commendation for Brave Conduct and Carnegie Hero Trust Certificates for doing so. ¹
• Outbursts are a hazard essentially restricted, in Great Britain, to the anthracite area of the South Wales Coalfield, related to local structural anomalies in the coal measures; BGS surveyors examined strata in Carway Colliery itself when mapping the district. ²

Related terminology

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

• Anthracite (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…under pressure, a hazard largely confined in Great Britain to the anthracite area of the South Wales Coalfield -- occurred at 12.30 am on the…”
• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…gas and fine coal in the 'Gowers' district of the Big Vein at Carway Colliery, Gwendraeth Valley, killed two colliers on the nightshift of 26 May…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “Three men from the colliery -- Willis Howard Edmunds, a fireman, John Llewellyn Davies, a repairer, and William Evans, a repairer --…”
• Outburst (contextual relationship)
  Named 7 times in this record, first in the summary: “An outburst of methane gas and fine coal in the 'Gowers' district of the Big…”

Sources

1. (secondary) 1944 Fatalities — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (primary) Geology of the South Wales Coalfield. Special memoir, Gwendraeth Valley — British Geological Survey
3. (secondary) Carway Colliery — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 10 September 2026 · Last researched: 15 September 2026