MineArchiveWest Cannock No. 5 Colliery Explosion (1933)
| Date | 16 May 1933 |
|---|---|
| Mine | West Cannock Colliery |
| Region | Staffordshire |
| Primary type | Explosion |
| Associated types | Gas / Asphyxiation |
| Fatalities | A House of Commons statement made the day after the explosion, on 17 May 1933, gave three men killed and three seriously injured. Other records of the same disaster -- including local mining-heritage sources -- give six men killed. Both figures are recorded here rather than silently reconciled; no source found during this research resolves the discrepancy, and no victims' names were located. |
| Context | During active mining |
| Status | Researched |
An explosion in the Shallow Seam at West Cannock No. 5 Colliery, Hednesford, killed several miners on 16 May 1933 -- sources disagree on the exact toll.
Cause
An explosion, consistent with firedamp ignition, occurred in the Shallow Seam at West Cannock No. 5 Colliery.
What happened
The explosion took place on 16 May 1933 in the Shallow Seam at No. 5 Colliery.
Investigation & inquiry
The incident was raised in the House of Commons on 17 May 1933, the day after the explosion, where the Secretary for Mines gave a statement on the number of casualties.
Recorded claims
Individual factual claims, each attached to the source(s) that support it below. Where sources disagree, both are kept.
- A House of Commons statement (17 May 1933) gave three dead and three seriously injured; other records of the same disaster give six dead. (disputed) 1
Related terminology
Mining terms this disaster is structurally linked to, with the nature of the relationship.
- Colliery (contextual relationship)
Named 3 times in this record, first in the summary: “An explosion in the Shallow Seam at West Cannock No. 5 Colliery, Hednesford, killed several miners on 16 May 1933 -- sources…” - Firedamp (contextual relationship)
Named in this record’s cause: “An explosion, consistent with firedamp ignition, occurred in the Shallow Seam at West Cannock No. 5…”
Sources
- (primary) Coal Industry (Accident, Hednesford) — Hansard (House of Commons)
- (primary) West Cannock Colliery Explosion - Hednesford - 1933 — Northern Mine Research Society
Record created: 1 September 2026 · Last researched: 1 September 2026