History - Old Flames

History

The pits, the people and the disasters that shaped the lamps in our collections.

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The disasters that shaped mining law and the lamps in our collections. Each entry lists its source. Select a heading to sort.

CountryCause

Select a heading to sort. Sources are linked on each row.
Date	Disaster	Country	Cause	Lives lost	Notes
25 May 1812	Felling Colliery explosion Felling, Gateshead	UK	Explosion	92	Spurred the first safety lamps · Source
11 Sep 1878	Abercarn explosion Abercarn, Monmouthshire	UK	Explosion	268	A damaged Clanny was recovered in 1933 · Source
8 Sep 1880	Seaham Colliery explosion Seaham, Co. Durham	UK	Explosion	164	Source
23 Mar 1887	Bulli explosion Bulli, NSW	Australia	Explosion	81
31 Jul 1902	Mount Kembla explosion Mount Kembla, NSW	Australia	Explosion	96	Naked lights ignited the gas Read the post
10 Mar 1906	Courrières explosion Courrières, Pas-de-Calais	France	Explosion	1,099	Europe’s worst mining disaster
18 Aug 1908	Maypole Colliery explosion Abram, near Wigan	UK	Explosion	75	The inquest recorded 75; 76 is often given Read the post · Source
14 Oct 1913	Senghenydd explosion Senghenydd, Glamorgan	UK	Explosion	439	Britain’s worst mining disaster · Source
19 Sep 1921	Mount Mulligan explosion Mount Mulligan, Qld	Australia	Explosion	75
22 Sep 1934	Gresford explosion Gresford, Denbighshire	UK	Explosion	266	Source
21 Jan 1960	Coalbrook collapse Coalbrook North, Free State	South Africa	Roof collapse	435	Pillar failure
31 Jul 1972	Box Flat explosion Box Flat, Ipswich, Qld	Australia	Explosion	17
7 Aug 1994	Moura No. 2 explosion Moura, Qld	Australia	Explosion	11

Memories from people who worked underground, shared in the Facebook group and kept here. Read the stories →