MineArchiveHebburn Colliery Explosion, 1849
A firedamp explosion in the Bensham seam at Hebburn Colliery on the morning of 5 June 1849 killed 33 men and boys, with almost everyone in the affected north-west district of the pit killed outright.
| Date | 5 June 1849 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Hebburn Colliery |
| Region | Tyne and Wear |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 33 (33 dead, in the Bensham seam. Many bodies were badly mutilated by the blast.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A firedamp explosion in the Bensham seam; the specific ignition source is not recorded.
What happened
The pit, then owned by Messrs. Easton & Co., had not worked from Saturday until the Tuesday morning of 5 June 1849, when an explosion occurred in the Bensham seam at around 6.30am. About 100 men were at work in the colliery at the time; the explosion was confined to the north-west part of the mine, where all but one man were killed. Thirty-three men and boys died in total, many of their bodies badly mutilated by the blast.
Investigation & inquiry
No detailed inquest findings are recorded beyond the Mines Inspectors' record of the event.
Memorials & commemoration
No dedicated memorial to this specific explosion is known.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- 33 men and boys were killed in the Bensham seam; all but one of those working in the affected north-west district died. 1
- The pit had lain idle from Saturday to Tuesday before the explosion, which occurred around 6.30am with about 100 men underground. 1
- Durham Mining Museum's own colliery page independently lists this explosion on 5 June 1849 with 33 lives lost, matching NMRS's account. 2
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: “A firedamp explosion in the Bensham seam at Hebburn Colliery on the morning of 5 June 1849 killed 33 men and boys, with almost…” - Firedamp (direct cause)
The explosion was caused by an ignition of firedamp underground.
Sources
- (primary) Hebburn Colliery Explosion — Hebburn — 1849 — Northern Mine Research Society
- (primary) Durham Mining Museum — Hebburn Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 3 September 2026 · Last researched: 3 September 2026