Hattonrigg Colliery explosion, 1870

Two Hattonrigg firemen making the Monday-morning inspection with naked lights were fatally burnt by firedamp on 21 November 1870.

Cause

Firedamp that had gathered while the ventilating furnace was out was fired by the firemen's naked lights.

What happened

On Monday 21 November 1870 James Laden and R. McCulloch, firemen of 40 at the Mossend Iron Company's Hattonrigg Colliery near Holytown, went down to examine the working places before the shift. They carried naked lights, expecting no firedamp, but the ventilating furnace had only just been relit after being out for 30 hours, and they came upon gas. Both were so badly burnt that they lived only three days.

Recorded claims

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

• On Monday 21 November 1870 two firemen at Hattonrigg Colliery, Holytown, James Laden and R. McCulloch, both 40, were fatally burnt by firedamp. ^1,2
• Starting the Monday morning examination of the working places, they went in with naked lights, not expecting firedamp, and came upon it. ^1,2
• The ventilating furnace had been newly lit after being out for 30 hours. ²
• They were so badly burnt that they lived only three days. ²
• The colliery belonged to the Mossend Iron Company. ²

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…R. McCulloch, firemen of 40 at the Mossend Iron Company's Hattonrigg Colliery near Holytown, went down to examine the working places before the…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…Monday-morning inspection with naked lights were fatally burnt by firedamp on 21 November 1870.”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “Two Hattonrigg firemen making the Monday-morning inspection with naked lights were fatally burnt by firedamp on 21 November 1870.”

Sources

1. (primary) Hattonrigg Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1870-1879, surnames L part 1 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists), via the Internet Archive

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 9 October 2026