MineArchiveMeiros Colliery explosion, 1896
An explosion in the Brooks heading at Meiros Colliery, Llanharan, at about eight on the morning of Saturday 28 March 1896 killed three men and seriously burnt eight or nine others.
| Date | 28 March 1896 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Meiros Colliery |
| Region | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 3 (Three: Frederick Riddick, 19, miner, killed outright; John Hole (or Hale), fireman, who died on 2 April; and Ernest Jones, 19, fanman, who also died of his burns. Eight or nine more were seriously burnt.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
An explosion of gas in the Brooks heading, in a colliery worked with naked lights; the inquest jury put it down to insufficient ventilation.
What happened
The fireman, John Hole, had finished his round between seven and eight on the Saturday morning and came back to the Brooks heading, where about a dozen men were standing talking before starting work, when the gas exploded. Frederick Riddick, a single man of 19 from the Forest of Dean who was nearest, was killed outright. Hole, married with eight children, was badly burnt and died on 2 April, and Ernest Jones, 19, the fanman, died of his injuries too; eight or nine others were seriously burnt and were taken home to be treated. The colliery had 250 men underground, hand-getting coal by naked light, and the blast was so confined to the heading that most of them knew nothing of it for hours. A young man had been burnt in a smaller explosion a few weeks before.
Investigation & inquiry
At Riddick's inquest the jury found that the explosion was caused by an insufficiency of ventilation, and that Hole was to blame for taking the men into the workings while gas was present.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- An explosion of gas on 28 March 1896 killed three men. 1,2,3
- Eight others were seriously burnt. (disputed) 3
- Nine others were seriously burnt. (disputed) 1
- The inquest jury found the explosion was caused by insufficient ventilation and blamed the fireman for taking the men in while gas was present. 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: “…to be treated. The colliery had 250 men underground, hand-getting coal by naked light, and the blast was so confined to the heading that…” - Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion in the Brooks heading at Meiros Colliery, Llanharan, at about eight on the morning of Saturday 28 March 1896…” - Fireman (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s narrative: “The fireman, John Hole, had finished his round between seven and eight on the…” - Naked Light (contextual relationship)
Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “An explosion of gas in the Brooks heading, in a colliery worked with naked lights; the inquest jury put it down to insufficient ventilation.”
Sources
- (primary) Welsh Coal Mines fatalities 1896 — Welsh Coal Mines
- (secondary) Merios Collery [Meiros Colliery] (Northern Mine Research Society) — Northern Mine Research Society
- (secondary) Meiros Colliery (Welsh Coal Mines) — Welsh Coal Mines
Record created: 6 October 2026 · Last researched: 6 October 2026