Westminster Colliery explosion, 1876

At ten past eight on the morning of 24 October 1876 firedamp from the old workings fired at the candles of three colliers taking out pillars in No. 4 pit at the Westminster Colliery, near Wrexham. Robert Smith, John Smith and John Lewis were burnt and died. The inspector, who had pressed for safety lamps, blamed the candles.

Cause

Firedamp issuing from the goaf next to the pillar workings reached the men's candles after the brattice canvas had been taken down to work the coal.

Contributing factors

Naked lights were used in pillar workings beside old workings. The canvas had to be removed to work the coal, which left about twelve yards unventilated. The inspector reported that he had urged the manager to use safety lamps there and that nothing had changed; the manager objected that safety lamps did not let men examine the roof so well, and the inspector wrote that feeling against safety lamps in North Wales made it almost hopeless to suggest them.

What happened

The men were working 1,150 yards from the pit eye in the 180-yard-deep No. 4 pit, starting a new piece and having fired a shot in a break road that morning. The manager, John Salisbury, went down after the explosion and met the three on the road; he thought they were not badly burnt.

Investigation & inquiry

At the inquest the government inspector, Mr Hall, said the cause was plain: gas had accumulated in dead workings at the end of the gig and, once the canvas was removed, reached the candle twelve yards off. The real fault was allowing candles, and the immediate cause the removal of the canvas. The coroner said the surgeon thought death had been hastened by fright, as the burns were not very serious. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death from burns caused by an explosion of gas, there being no evidence to show where the gas came from.

Recorded claims

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

• At 8.10 a.m. on 24 October 1876 an explosion of gas in No. 4 pit at Westminster Colliery, near Wrexham, burnt three colliers, who died of their injuries. ^1,2
• The men were taking out pillars near the old workings with candles, and firedamp from the goaf reached their lights after the brattice canvas was taken down. ^1,2
• The inspector reported that he had urged the manager to use safety lamps in the pillar workings and that no change had been made. ¹
• The inquest jury found that the three died of burns from an explosion of gas, with no evidence to show where the gas came from. ²

Related terminology

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

• Brattice (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “…goaf next to the pillar workings reached the men's candles after the brattice canvas had been taken down to work the coal.”
• Fault (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s investigation: “…canvas was removed, reached the candle twelve yards off. The real fault was allowing candles, and the immediate cause the removal of the…”
• Goaf (contextual relationship)
  Named in this record’s cause: “Firedamp issuing from the goaf next to the pillar workings reached the men's candles after the…”
• Old Workings (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “At ten past eight on the morning of 24 October 1876 firedamp from the old workings fired at the candles of three colliers taking out pillars in No. 4…”
• Safety Lamp (contextual relationship)
  Named 4 times in this record, first in the summary: “…John Lewis were burnt and died. The inspector, who had pressed for safety lamps, blamed the candles.”

Sources

1. (primary) Disasters - Names: Westminster, 24 October 1876 (Durham Mining Museum) — Durham Mining Museum
2. (primary) Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser, 18 November 1876: Inquest on four men killed — Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser (Welsh Newspapers Online, National Library of Wales)
3. (primary) Durham Mining Museum: Westminster Colliery — Durham Mining Museum

Record created: 25 October 2026 · Last researched: 25 October 2026