South Yorkshire Times, December 16th 1932.

Survivors’ Stories

“Could Hardly Realise What Had Happened”

“Sort of Fog”

Oscar Frost, of Cliffe Road, Brampton, who was some distance sway at the time heard a “bump” and felt a sharp draught of warm air. He and others went down to pass the dead and injured out of the drift.

William Jones (33), 4, Whetmoor Lane, Wath, who has worked in the Silkstone seam since it was opened, said at the time of the accident he was some distance away and did not know anything about it until someone told him to get out. He went immediately to the scene and helped to get the dead and injured out. He returned home about 4-30 a.m. He was a personal friend of Outram, whose body was one of the first he came across. Up to August Jones was working in the place where the accident occurred. His brother, Edwin, of 21, Carnley Street, West Melton, also assisted in the rescue operations. They returned to work’s last week-end, and helped to open out the place again.

Fred Jackson (25) (picture), of 15, Dearne Road, Brampton, was employed as a pan man in the Silkstone seam one hundred yards away from where the explosion occurred. He was formerly employed at Kilnhurst Colliery, and has been working at Cortonwood since March of this year. He told a reporter that he left home to go to work about 9.30 on Thursday night, and it was about midnight when the calamity took place. He said. “We could hardly realise what. had happened. The scene of the explosion was obscured by smoke, and I felt the hot air on my chest.

Some time elapsed before we could see through the thick atmosphere, and we were able to assist the first aiders. The dead men were badly injured and their clothes were practically in rags. The only one I was able to identify was Nutter. Stretchers were brought and the victims were carried to the pit bottom. The bad air and dense smoke made the work very difficult.”

“I thought the lot of them had gone, they were all lying so still.” said Alfred Smith (33), of 5, Concrete, who was one of the first on the scene. Smith said he did not see the flash, but there was practically no air, and the atmosphere was a sort of fog. Though he did not hear the bang, he felt the concussion. One of his mates remarked -They are blowing out a Pipe.” He replied “Get away. I know what it is.” He had never been in an explosion before, but knew by instinct what had happened. He has worked in the pit all his life and before moving to Cortonwood was employed at Hickleton.

Smith said he was working half a mile from the scene of the explosion. The dead men had been withdrawn when he arrived, and he was one of the party to help carry them out. They were badly burned and their clothing was hanging in rags. One of the victims – he believed it was Humphries—who died in the hospital was delirious and in agony. The most noticeable evidence of the explosion was the bad smell. Smith formerly corked in the ill-fated section, and it was only two or three shifts before that they had moved him. On feeling the concussion he rushed and got dressed and called his mates out. Rescuers were quickly on the scene with stretchers.

Thomas Stinson, a young miner, of 13 Concrete, also assisted in the rescue work