Cwm Cynon Colliery roof fall, 1908

Two men at Cwm Cynon Colliery, Penrhiwceibr, were killed on 10 February 1908 when a large stone they were trying to bar down from the roof of a road fell on them.

Cause

A large stone the two men were trying to bar down from the roof of a road fell on them.

What happened

On 10 February 1908 Benjamin Evans, 28, and Dennis Hallahan were working on a road in the Four Feet seam at Cwm Cynon Colliery, Penrhiwceibr, trying to bar down a stone in the roof about 9 feet by 4½ feet and 20 inches thick. Nobody saw how they came to be where they were found; it was thought they had failed to bring it down and were passing under it to work at the other end when it fell. Evans was killed outright, and Hallahan was so badly hurt that he died as he was being freed.

Recorded claims

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

• On 10 February 1908 Benjamin Evans, 28, and Dennis Hallahan were killed by a fall of rock on a road at Cwm Cynon Colliery, Penrhiwceibr. ^1,2,3
• The rock, about 9 feet by 4½ feet and 20 inches thick, fell on them while they were trying to bar it down in the Four Feet seam. ^2,3
• Evans was killed outright; Hallahan was so badly hurt that he died as he was being freed. ¹
• The colliery belonged to Nixon's Navigation Co. Ltd. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “Two men at Cwm Cynon Colliery, Penrhiwceibr, were killed on 10 February 1908 when a large stone…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1908 — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Accident record: Benjamin Evans, Cwm Cynon, 1908 — Northern Mine Research Society
3. (secondary) Accident record: Dennis Hallhan, Cwm Cynon, 1908 — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026