Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 16 May 1890

A Miner Buried Alive at Wath Main.

Shocking Spectacle.

On Tuesday a man named Bradley, residing at canal side, Wath, and employed at the Wath Main Colliery as a packer, was buried by a fall of roof. The unfortunate man, along with another workman, was engaged in putting up a middle pack in the ” gob or goaf,” and in so doing the roof gave way, and a large quantity of stones and dirt fell, completely burying Bradley. The other man narrowly escaped injury. The men, as is usual on such an occasion, all left work, and the pit was set down. The work of getting the body out was a long and difficult one, as it was hidden beneath many tons of debris. The fall happened between eight and nine o’clock in the morning, and it took from that hour up to Wednesday night before the body could be recovered. At 12 o’clock on Tuseday night his legs were in sight, but before he could be extricated there came another fall of about 40 tons of stone.

Some of the pieces of stone were of great size, one of them being as large as a railway waggon. This is the first fatal accident that has occurred at Wath Main that is, where anybody has been killed outright, although fatal consequences have ensued after the expiration of a few days to injured men.

Within the last fortnight accidents of a more or less serious nature have occurred at this colliery. It is needless to say that the greatest concern was manifested in the mine, from the officials downwards, when it became known what kind of mishap had occurred to the poor fellow. At first it was hoped that the “fall” might not have proved fatal, and that—as sometimes happens in an extraordinary way—the timber might have shielded him from the loose debris that dropped from the roof. But as the attempt to memo the man was being proceeded with—and at no little risk—the repeated descent of coal and dirt, tons in weight, removed all expectations of finding the miner alive.

When at last the rubbish was cleared entirely away and the entombed man was reached, it was found that be had been fearfully mangled and that death must have been instantaneous. The body was at ones removed from the mine to the late residence of deceased and the coroner was communicated with.

The inquest will be held by Mr. Wightman to-day, and a full report will be given in our next issue.