Strikes me that this was most likely an ordinary firedamp/ methane
explosion- if it wasn't pure, had a little H2S coming with it -
certainly could have smelt something .....
-----Original Message-----
From: mining-history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
M J Shaw
Sent: 26 March 2010 03:47 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Gas in coal mines
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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