In a local history I recently come across a report of a rather odd gas explosion in a coal mine. Moat Hall mine near Hanwood in Shropshire was free of methane, candles were used until the closure of the mine (as part of Hanwood Colliery) in 1940.
I quote:
'One day Ben Preece said to his apprentice "I can smell gas, there's a leak somewhere". The apprentice moved the candle up in the air and the next minute there was one great whoosh of flame; the candle had ignited the gas. Ben was severely burned on his face and arms, the skin underneath his arms from his wrist to his elbow was hanging down.'
The report apparently came from Mr Preece's daughter who was 14 when he died, presumably not as a result of this incident. I have no idea of date.
I presume that the gas was produced on site, how common is it for coal mines to use such gas for any purpose underground?
Mike Shaw
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