Motherwell Colliery explosion, 1879

A father and son at John Watson's Motherwell Colliery tried to waft out firedamp themselves on 25 April 1879 instead of waiting for the fireman; the gas reached their naked lights and both died of burns.

Cause

Firedamp wafted out of the working place onto naked lights left eight yards from the face.

What happened

On 25 April 1879 the fireman at John Watson's Watsonville pit in Motherwell told two colliers, David Caskie, 36, and his son William, 16, that he had found a little firedamp in their place and would go in ahead of them to clear it. They did not wait. Leaving their naked lights about eight yards from the face, one of them went in in the dark and began to waft the gas out, and it was driven back onto the open lights and fired, burning them both. David Caskie died on 2 May and William on 30 May.

Recorded claims

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

• On 25 April 1879 a father and son, the colliers David Caskie, 36, and William Caskie, 16, were burned by an explosion of firedamp at John Watson's Watsonville pit, Motherwell; both died. ^1,2,3
• Told by the fireman that he had found a little firedamp in their place and would go in first to clear it, they did not wait; leaving their naked lights eight yards from the face, one went in in the dark and began to waft the gas out, and it was driven onto the open lights and fired. ³
• David Caskie died on 2 May and William on 30 May 1879. ³
• The pit belonged to John Watson. ^2,3

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s summary: “A father and son at John Watson's Motherwell Colliery tried to waft out firedamp themselves on 25 April 1879 instead of…”
• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “…and son at John Watson's Motherwell Colliery tried to waft out firedamp themselves on 25 April 1879 instead of waiting for the fireman; the…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “On 25 April 1879 the fireman at John Watson's Watsonville pit in Motherwell told two colliers,…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…April 1879 instead of waiting for the fireman; the gas reached their naked lights and both died of burns.”

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Motherwell Colliery (UK) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining victims, 1870s, C (Carter) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's list of mining victims)
3. (secondary) Fatal accidents in Scottish mines, 1879 — Scottish Mining Website

Record created: 1 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026