MineArchiveCwmbyrgwm Colliery boiler explosion, 1858
On 6 January 1858 a boiler exploded on the surface at Cwmbyrgwm Colliery, a water-balance pit near Abersychan, demolishing the engine house and killing a man and two boys.
| Date | 6 January 1858 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Cwmbyrgwm Colliery |
| Region | Torfaen |
| Type | Machinery |
| Fatalities | 3 (John Charles (59), his son Cecil Charles (9) and Joseph Whitcombe (10). One account dates the explosion to 5 January.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A surface boiler exploded, wrecking the engine house.
What happened
John Charles (59), his son Cecil Charles (9) and another boy, Joseph Whitcombe (10), were killed when the boiler burst; Whitcombe's body was so mutilated that his father did not recognise him, and the engine house was demolished.
Sources
- (secondary) Water Balance Collieries: Cwmbyrgwm — Welsh Coal Mines
- (secondary) Welsh mining fatalities, 1858 — Welsh Coal Mines
Record created: 20 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026