Motherwell Colliery stables explosion, 1866

On the evening of 3 January 1866, the day after John Watson's No. 1 Pit at Motherwell was reopened after a month sealed to smother a fire, firedamp exploded in the underground stables where three men were cleaning out for the horses' return. One was killed outright and another died of his burns.

Cause

Firedamp in the underground stables exploded; the stables had not been examined after the pit was reopened.

Contributing factors

A pit reopened after a month sealed against fire; the stables not examined before the men were sent in.

What happened

The pit had caught fire about a month before and was sealed up to put the fire out. It was opened again on Tuesday 2 January, and men sent down found the fire out. On the Wednesday three men went down to clean out the stables so that the horses could be sent down and work resumed on the Thursday. The local paper said the fireman had first gone over the workings with a naked lamp and found no firedamp; the inspector's record says the air had been on for thirty hours but the stables had not been examined.

The men cleaned out two of the stables and came up for their supper. When they went back and started again, at about ten at night, the firedamp exploded. Mark Gold, the pit's fireman, took a safety lamp and went down at once. The driver, 23, named Archibald Levats in the paper and Archibald Coats in the inspector's list, had been killed; Andrew Wilson, a reddsman, had a leg broken, which was amputated the next day; and Andrew Gold was so badly burned that his life was despaired of. He died of his injuries a few days later.

Rescue & recovery

Mark Gold, the fireman, went down with a safety lamp as soon as the alarm was given.

What's uncertain

Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.

• The local paper reported that the fireman had examined the workings with a naked lamp and found no firedamp; the inspector's record says the stables being cleaned had not been examined. (disputed) ^1,2

Recorded claims

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

• On the evening of 3 January 1866 firedamp exploded in the underground stables of No. 1 Pit, Motherwell, killing one man outright and fatally burning another. ^1,2
• The pit had been on fire about a month before and was sealed to put the fire out; it was opened the day before the explosion and the fire found to be out. ^1,2
• The local paper reported that the fireman had examined the workings with a naked lamp and found no firedamp; the inspector's record says the stables being cleaned had not been examined. (disputed) ^1,2
• A third man, Andrew Wilson, had a leg broken and amputated the next day. ²

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: “…at Motherwell was reopened after a month sealed to smother a fire, firedamp exploded in the underground stables where three men were cleaning…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the narrative: “…sent down and work resumed on the Thursday. The local paper said the fireman had first gone over the workings with a naked lamp and found no…”
• Pit Pony (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “…after a month sealed to smother a fire, firedamp exploded in the underground stables where three men were cleaning out for the horses' return. One was…”
• Ripping (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…Coats in the inspector's list, had been killed; Andrew Wilson, a reddsman, had a leg broken, which was amputated the next day; and Andrew Gold…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the narrative: “…night, the firedamp exploded. Mark Gold, the pit's fireman, took a safety lamp and went down at once. The driver, 23, named Archibald Levats in the…”

Photographs & further reading

This page doesn't try to reproduce everything — these are the best original sources found for this disaster.

Sources

1. (primary) Durham Mining Museum - Motherwell Colliery (UK) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Accidents 1855-1870 (newspaper reports) — Scottish Mining Website

Record created: 1 October 2026 · Last researched: 4 October 2026