South Yorkshire Times – Saturday 29 August 1942

Sudden Fall

Mexborough Mineworker Buried

A verdict of “Accidental death” was recorded at an inquest at Wath on Saturday by the Rotherham District Coroner (Mr. A. P. Lockwood) on Fred Crossley (57), colliery packer, 149, Road. Mexborough who was killed by a fall of roof on Aug 19th, at Wath Main Colliery.

J. C. King, deputy, of 31. Thompson Road, Wombwell, said he went to No. 3 face of the Melton Field seam on Wednesday and at 7 a.m. he reached the point where Crossley was working. Everything seemed safe. Witness visited this place again at 9-10 a.m., and Crossley had nearly completed the pack. The roof seemed sound. He had got about 50 yards away when he heard a fall. He found that the fall had buried Crossley. He, Beevers and others uncovered his head after 15 minutes. Crossley was examined by Stanley Taylor, the ambulanceman, and was found to be dead. Witness examined the place after the fall and found it had been caused by a hidden slip.

In answer to Mr. Baker (Mines Inspector) King said the fall had exposed a sandstone roof. The sandstone might have “weighted” little and caused the bind to crush the steel and run it out. There had- no recent “weight.”

George Beevers, packer, 11 Ash Road, Wath, said he and Crossley had made their own examination of the roof, and it seemed all right.

Asked by Mr Braithwaite whether wood props would not have been better than steel, Beevers said he thought steel was the best thing they could use under those conditions.

Stanley Taylor, 117, Wath Road, a packer, said after Crossley had been released he found a contused wound over the right eye, a fracture of the left leg, signs of asphyxia, and fractures of the ribs on the left side.