Nantmelyn Colliery explosion, 1893

Early on Tuesday 4 April 1893 an explosion of firedamp in the Four-feet seam of Nantmelyn Pit, Cwmdare, near Aberdare, burned thirteen men, two of whom later died. The gas was fired at a lamp that a workman had opened to relight.

Cause

Firedamp, which had collected after the pit stood idle over the weekend with a door not properly closed, ignited at a safety lamp opened underground.

Contributing factors

The pit had been idle since the Friday night and a new plank door at the end of a heading had not been closely fastened, letting gas gather where ripping had been done. A workman whose lamp went out while waiting for the fireman opened it, and another lamp was found open beside it.

What happened

On his morning inspection the fireman, John Jones, found gas in the ripping and stopped the leak at the door. Before letting the Four-feet seam men in he went back with a repairer, John Griffiths, to see whether the gas had cleared, leaving the men at the head of the incline with orders to wait; as he closed a canvas door to speed the clearing, the gas fired in the return. Thirteen men were burned, Thomas Bevan and Thomas John Jones worst of all.

Rescue & recovery

The manager, E. Pugh, was underground and had the injured brought out at once. Doctors Evan Jones, Bankes and Walters dressed their burns at the pit before they were taken home; good ventilation cleared the afterdamp quickly.

Investigation & inquiry

The agent, William Thomas, J.L. Thomas of the Mardy and the manager inspected the return and found two unlocked lamps, one identified as Thomas Bevan's; Bevan admitted opening it after it went out.

What's uncertain

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

• Two of the burned men, John Thomas Jones, 44, and John Jones, 17, died of their injuries later in April. (uncertain) ⁴
• Welsh Coal Mines gives the date of the explosion as 29 March 1893. (disputed) ⁴

Recorded claims

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

• Between seven and eight on the morning of Tuesday 4 April 1893 an explosion of gas in the Four-feet seam of the Aberdare-Merthyr Colliery Company's Nantmelyn Pit, Cwmdare, burned thirteen men. ^1,2,3
• Two unlocked lamps were found in the return, and one of the injured men admitted opening his lamp to relight it after it went out while waiting for the fireman. ^1,2
• The fireman had found gas collected where ripping had been done, after a door was left loose while the pit stood idle from the Friday night, and was clearing it when the explosion came. ²
• Two of the burned men, John Thomas Jones, 44, and John Jones, 17, died of their injuries later in April. (uncertain) ⁴
• Welsh Coal Mines gives the date of the explosion as 29 March 1893. (disputed) ⁴

Related terminology

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

• Afterdamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s rescue and recovery: “…at the pit before they were taken home; good ventilation cleared the afterdamp quickly.”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the contributing factors: “…had been done. A workman whose lamp went out while waiting for the fireman opened it, and another lamp was found open beside it.”
• Incline (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s narrative: “…see whether the gas had cleared, leaving the men at the head of the incline with orders to wait; as he closed a canvas door to speed the…”
• Ripping (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the contributing factors: “…of a heading had not been closely fastened, letting gas gather where ripping had been done. A workman whose lamp went out while waiting for the…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…idle over the weekend with a door not properly closed, ignited at a safety lamp opened underground.”

Sources

1. (primary) South Wales Echo, 4 April 1893: Terrible colliery disaster: gas explosion at Aberdare — South Wales Echo (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
2. (primary) The Aberdare Times, 8 April 1893: Colliery explosion at Aberdare: thirteen men burned — The Aberdare Times (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) The Western Mail, 5 April 1893: Colliery explosion at Aberdare: thirteen men burned — The Western Mail (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
4. (secondary) Welsh Coal Mines fatalities, 1893 — Welsh Coal Mines

Record created: 19 October 2026 · Last researched: 20 October 2026