MineArchiveExplosion disasters
Firedamp, coal dust or blasting explosions underground.
See all disasters, including filtering by type.
3 disasters in the 1970s, of 502.
| Disaster | Date | Type | Region | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Main Colliery explosion, 1975 An explosion in the Meltonfield seam at Houghton Main Colliery on 12 June 1975 killed five men after firedamp, which had accumulated in an unventilated heading for nine days, was ignited by frictional sparking from an auxiliary fan; a major public inquiry followed. |
12 June 1975 | Explosion | South Yorkshire | 5 |
| Ystrad Colliery Explosion, Glanamman, 1978 A gas explosion in a heading about half a mile into Ystrad Colliery, a small licensed anthracite mine at Glynmoch, Glanamman, killed two colliers, David Fish and Vivian Brown. Cigarette ends and matches were found in the heading afterwards, but at the inquest no witness had seen anyone smoke, and the coroner recorded that the cause remained unknown. |
11 May 1978 | Explosion | Carmarthenshire | 2 |
| Golborne Colliery explosion, 1979 A firedamp explosion in the Plodder Seam at Golborne Colliery killed ten men on 18 March 1979; a 20-year-old apprentice electrician, seriously injured, was the sole survivor among those caught in the blast. |
18 March 1979 | Explosion | Greater Manchester | 10 |