South Yorkshire Times, September 16th 1944
Hit By Huge Stone
Swinton Collier Killed
While working in the Silkstone seam in the number three pit at Manvers Main Colliery, on Friday, Samuel Goodman (38), collier of 102, Queen Street, Swinton was trapped by a stone estimated to weigh between eight and nine tons, which caused his death by asphyxiation.
At the inquest at Mexborough on Monday, the Doncaster District Coroner (Mr. W. H Carlile), recording a verdict of “Accidental Death” and criticised the shot firer and deputy concerned. He said it was admitted by the shot firer that he did not examine the roof before firing the shot and when the deputy came to give evidence, he did not know the rules for timbering. It showed either a lack of knowledge in carrying out the rules or that they had not been carried out when the knowledge was there. When there was so much talk of safety in the pit it was rather staggering and made one wonder how far the rules were adhered to. It could not be said that if the rules had been carried out that the accident would not have happened, but if the safety measures had been applied there would have been more likelihood of the accident not happening.
Saw Roof Opening
Lawence Hardy, shot-firer, Henry Road, Wath, said that about eight o’clock on Friday he went to fire two shots for Goodman. He examined the place before and after firing and considered it safe. Goodman went on filling coal on to the belt. Witness returned to the face about an hour later to fire another shot for the man above Goodman, who would be 12 or 13 yards away. Before firing the shot witness warned Goodman who was standing three or four yards from him. Goodman told him to carry on.
Witness fired the shot, took the key out of the battery, and on turning round saw the roof opening. He had no sooner called “Look out Sammy” than the stone fell burying Goodman completely. There was just one stone which would be 12 yards long and “feather edged.” It took half an hour to release Goodman who was unconscious. He was attended by an ambulance man and taken out of the pit. Witness said he examined the place afterwards when supports were set. He formed the opinion that the shot he fired must have released the stone which ran in an inverted V shape, the gob side face of the slip being very slippery.
Coroner: Did you test the roof at all?
Witness: I could not say that I tested it. It looked good.
Is it part of your job to test the roof and see that it is safe for firing? I should say it is. In my opinion it was safe.
If you had tested the roof, don’t you think you would have found it? – With a stone of that weight it would have sounded good.
Witness added that if there had been any breaks he would have tested the roof. In reply to the coroner witness said that he noticed Goodman had two catch props set at the bottom of his “stint” about three yards apart. The rule was that props should be set four feet apart.
Mr. G. Miller, (H. M. Inspector of Mines) asked if the break was concealed. Witness said that it was.
Deputy’s Evidence
The deputy, Leonard Smith, 10 Rix Road, Kilnhurst, said he had been a deputy about 18 months. He made an inspection of Goodman’s section at about a quarter to eight. Goodman had one prop set behind him but he had not got his “gummings” filled and was going forward. Witness tested the roof. It sounded very good and seemed to be in safe working condition. He gave his instructions to Goodman to get his catch prop set.
Coroner: What is the timbering rule there?
Witness: Catch props four foot six apart.
Coroner: I understand it is four-foot apart (This was confirmed by the Mines Inspector).
Witness: I always thought it was four foot six.
Coroner: Where did you get instructions about timbering rules? I got them from the management. I must have misunderstood them.
Is it in writing? – Yes, sir.
You can’t misunderstand writing. Don’t you realise these things are done for safety? I get tired of coming across these cases where you are supposed to do one thing and you do another.
Witness said he was called back to the scene after the accident and was there when Goodman was released. The stone was 12 yards long, about a yard wide at the widest part, tapering to a feather edge at the other end. It would weigh between eight and nine tons. The slip ran along the conveyor side of the face. He attributed the fall to a concealed slip being released at the feather edge by the shot. Witness said he had been deputy on that face only a week, being relief man due to holidays.