MineArchiveParys Mountain boiler explosion, 1870
A large Cornish boiler at the ore-crushing plant exploded during a lunch break, demolishing the building; accounts from the same local research group differ sharply on the death toll, citing either one confirmed death with 8–10 injured, or seven men killed.
| Date | 19 October 1870 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Parys Mountain |
| Region | Anglesey |
| Primary type | Explosion |
| Associated types | Machinery |
| Fatalities | 1 (One local-history source (the group's 'Deaths and injuries' page) gives one confirmed death with 8–10 injured, three of them critically; the same group's separate 'Time line' page instead states the explosion killed seven men. Both are kept here rather than silently preferring one — no single death toll is agreed.) |
| Injuries | Survivors were buried in debris, described as half-suffocated, bruised and scalded; three were reported in critical condition. |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
A large Cornish boiler (reported as approximately 26 feet by 5 feet 6 inches) at the ore-crushing plant ruptured during the workers' lunch break.
What happened
On 19 October 1870, a large Cornish boiler at the ore-crushing plant on Parys Mountain exploded during the midday break. The blast was powerful enough to blow the doors, windows and roof of the building a considerable distance; survivors were left buried in debris, half-suffocated, bruised and scalded, with three reported in critical condition. The sources — both pages of the same local mining-history group's own site — disagree sharply on the final death toll: one gives a single confirmed death with 8–10 injured, the other states seven men were killed. The explosion happened as leases at Parys and the neighbouring Mona mines were being reorganised into Parys Mines Reconstructed Ltd.
What's uncertain
Points where sources disagree or the record could not be settled; both accounts are kept. All open questions in the archive.
- One page of the Parys Underground Group's own site gives one confirmed death with 8–10 injured (three critically); a separate page on the same site instead states the explosion killed seven men. (disputed) 1,2
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- A large Cornish boiler at the ore-crushing plant on Parys Mountain exploded during the lunch break on 19 October 1870, demolishing the building. 1
- One page of the Parys Underground Group's own site gives one confirmed death with 8–10 injured (three critically); a separate page on the same site instead states the explosion killed seven men. (disputed) 1,2
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Copper (contextual relationship)
Occurred at Parys Mountain during its working life as a major copper mine.
Sources
- (secondary) Deaths and injuries — Grwp Tanddaearol PARYS Underground Group
- (secondary) Time line — Grwp Tanddaearol PARYS Underground Group
Record created: 20 August 2026 · Last researched: 20 August 2026