MineArchiveOn 24 August 1855 two experienced deputy overmen were killed
On 24 August 1855 two experienced deputy overmen were killed by an explosion of gas at Usworth Colliery, in County Durham.
| Date | 24 August 1855 |
|---|---|
| Mine | Usworth Colliery |
| Region | Tyne and Wear |
| Type | Explosion |
| Fatalities | 2 (Burnip Gardiner and William Munro, deputy overmen.) |
| Context | During active mining |
Cause
An explosion of gas after a naked light was exposed to an inflammable air current.
What happened
Burnip Gardiner and William Munro were killed. Both were experienced men accounted good judges and both were supplied with safety lamps, but, the Inspector recorded, in an unguarded moment a naked light was exposed to the inflammable air current. He noted the same fault in a fatal case at Monkwearmouth a fortnight later.
Sources
- (primary) Usworth Colliery explosion, 24 August 1855 (from the 1855 Mines Inspector's Report; Newcastle Guardian, 1 September 1855) — Durham Mining Museum
- (secondary) Durham Mining Museum: Usworth Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
Record created: 22 September 2026 · Last researched: 22 September 2026