Pather Colliery explosion, 1867

On Monday morning, 7 January 1867, the fireman at Pather Colliery, Cambusnethan, went down with a collier to examine the pit after its ventilating furnace had been out for forty hours. They carried naked lights as well as safety lamps, and the gas that had gathered over the weekend fired at the naked lights and killed them both.

Cause

Firedamp accumulated while the ventilating furnace was out over the weekend, ignited at the naked lights carried on the morning examination.

What happened

The ventilating furnace had been out for forty hours, from the Saturday until the Monday morning. The fireman, MacNeil, took the collier John Smith with him to examine the pit before work. Both had safety lamps, but both also had naked lights, and some firedamp ignited at the naked lights and killed them.

Investigation & inquiry

The inspector of mines held that the explosion was caused by the fireman going his rounds with a naked light, in breach of the special rule that he use a safety lamp only. Davy lamps gave little light and firemen were tempted to take a naked light when they thought there was no danger; he urged that the rule be rigidly enforced and that firemen be given a large safety lamp as well as the Davy, and observed that keeping the furnace burning from Saturday to Monday would in all likelihood have prevented the accumulation of gas.

Recorded claims

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

• On Monday morning, 7 January 1867, an explosion of firedamp at the Coltness Iron Company's Pather Colliery, Cambusnethan, killed the fireman, Alexander MacNeil, and a collier, John Smith. ^1,2
• MacNeil took Smith with him to examine the pit; both carried safety lamps and naked lights, and the firedamp ignited at the naked lights. ^1,2
• The ventilating furnace had been out for forty hours over the weekend. ^1,2
• The inspector found the fireman had broken the special rule requiring a safety lamp only, and urged that firemen be given a larger safety lamp so as not to be tempted to use a naked light. ²

Related terminology

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

• Firedamp (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the cause: “Firedamp accumulated while the ventilating furnace was out over the weekend,…”
• Fireman (contextual relationship)
  Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “On Monday morning, 7 January 1867, the fireman at Pather Colliery, Cambusnethan, went down with a collier to…”
• HM Chief Inspector of Mines (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “The inspector of mines held that the explosion was caused by the fireman going his rounds…”
• Naked Light (contextual relationship)
  Named 7 times in this record, first in the summary: “…its ventilating furnace had been out for forty hours. They carried naked lights as well as safety lamps, and the gas that had gathered over the…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 5 times in this record, first in the summary: “…had been out for forty hours. They carried naked lights as well as safety lamps, and the gas that had gathered over the weekend fired at the naked…”

Sources

1. (primary) Pather Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Scottish Mining Website: fatal accidents 1867 — Scottish Mining Website

Record created: 21 October 2026 · Last researched: 21 October 2026