Ynyshir Colliery boiler explosion, 1892

A steam boiler exploded at Ynyshir Colliery in the Rhondda Fach at half past noon on 1 November 1892, fatally injuring two stokers and the ashman.

Cause

The explosion of a steam boiler.

What happened

At half past twelve on 1 November 1892, seven hours into the shift, a steam boiler exploded at the Ynyshir Steam Coal Company's colliery in the Rhondda Fach. The three men tending the boilers were fatally injured: the stokers Oliver Colville and William Thomas and the ashman, Christmas Jenkins.

Recorded claims

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

• At 12.30 p.m. on 1 November 1892 a steam boiler exploded at Ynyshir Colliery, fatally injuring three men. ^1,2,3,4
• The dead were the stokers Oliver Colville, 40, and William Thomas, 47, and the ashman Christmas Jenkins, 54. ^1,2,3,4
• The colliery belonged to the Ynyshir Steam Coal Company. ^1,2

Related terminology

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

• Colliery (contextual relationship)
  Named twice in this record, first in the summary: “A steam boiler exploded at Ynyshir Colliery in the Rhondda Fach at half past noon on 1 November 1892, fatally…”

Sources

1. (primary) Ynyshir Colliery — Durham Mining Museum
2. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames C part 4 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
3. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames J (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)
4. (secondary) Mining deaths 1890-1899, surnames T part 2 (Ian Winstanley) — Healey Hero (Ian Winstanley's mining deaths lists)

Record created: 8 October 2026 · Last researched: 8 October 2026