Kinneil Colliery explosion, 1898

On 31 March 1898 a shot fired at the face in a dry, dusty and gassy section of Kinneil Colliery, Bo'ness, set off an explosion of firedamp. Charles Sneddon was killed outright; Alexander Hamilton and his eighteen-year-old son were badly injured, the son dying that evening and the father eleven days later.

Cause

Firedamp ignited by a shot fired at the face, allegedly by Sneddon, although only the fireman was authorised to fire shots in the section.

What happened

Four men worked in the section, which was dry and dusty and gave off gas. They used Protector Marsaut safety lamps, and blasting was done with permitted explosives by the fireman alone. According to the Hamiltons, Sneddon fired a shot at the face himself, in breach of General Rule 12(f). The violent explosion that followed killed him immediately and injured both Hamiltons; the younger died the same evening and his father eleven days afterwards.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector of mines recorded it as the only fatal firedamp explosion in his district that year, and set out the conditions of the section and the allegation against Sneddon in his report.

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 Kinneil Colliery, Bo'ness, on 31 March 1898 killed the miner Charles Sneddon outright and fatally injured Alexander Hamilton and his son Alexander. ^1,2
• The Hamiltons alleged that Sneddon fired a shot at the face, against General Rule 12(f), in a section where only the fireman was authorised to fire shots. ^1,2
• The section was dry and dusty and gave off gas; Protector Marsaut lamps and permitted explosives were in use, and only four men worked there. ^1,2
• It was the only fatal firedamp explosion in the inspector's district that year. ¹

Related terminology

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

• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…gassy section of Kinneil Colliery, Bo'ness, set off an explosion of firedamp. Charles Sneddon was killed outright; Alexander Hamilton and his…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “…by a shot fired at the face, allegedly by Sneddon, although only the fireman was authorised to fire shots in the section.”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “The inspector of mines recorded it as the only fatal firedamp explosion in his district…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…was dry and dusty and gave off gas. They used Protector Marsaut safety lamps, and blasting was done with permitted explosives by the fireman…”
• Shot-firing (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…and gave off gas. They used Protector Marsaut safety lamps, and blasting was done with permitted explosives by the fireman alone. According…”

Sources

1. (secondary) Fatal accidents in Scottish mines, 1898 — Scottish Mining Website
2. (primary) Kinneil Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 21 October 2026 · Last researched: 21 October 2026