Dyllas Colliery explosion, 1894

A firedamp explosion in Wayne's Merthyr Dyllas level above Llwydcoed on 10 November 1894 burned three; a collier of thirty and a boy of fifteen died.

Cause

Firedamp accumulated at the top end of a rising face, ignited in a naked-light level.

What happened

Dyllas's upper level lay high on Merthyr mountain, overlooking Llwydcoed. It was worked with naked lights. On the evening of Saturday 10 November 1894 three were working the coal to the rise when gas that had gathered at the top end of the face fired. Morgan Griffiths, a collier of thirty, was badly burned and died the next evening; William Cole, a collier's boy of fifteen, died within a few days. The third, Rees Jones, the contractor's son, was burned but recovered.

Griffiths left a widow and three children. He was a member of the Baptist church at Llwydcoed, and his funeral was largely attended despite a day of heavy rain.

Recorded claims

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

• An explosion of firedamp at Dyllas on 10 November 1894 killed a collier of 30 and a boy of 15. ^1,2
• It was a naked-light level, and gas was thought to have gathered at the top end of the face. ¹
• The level lay on top of Merthyr mountain, overlooking Llwydcoed, and belonged to Wayne's Merthyr. ¹
• A third, the contractor's son Rees Jones, was burned but recovered. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Coal (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…On the evening of Saturday 10 November 1894 three were working the coal to the rise when gas that had gathered at the top end of the face…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A firedamp explosion in Wayne's Merthyr Dyllas level above Llwydcoed on 10…”
• Level (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “A firedamp explosion in Wayne's Merthyr Dyllas level above Llwydcoed on 10 November 1894 burned three; a collier of…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “Firedamp accumulated at the top end of a rising face, ignited in a naked-light level.”

Sources

1. (secondary) Mining fatalities, 1894 - Welsh Coal Mines — Welsh Coal Mines
2. (secondary) Dyllas Colliery — Northern Mine Research Society

Record created: 7 October 2026 · Last researched: 7 October 2026