Gob Fire Causes Great Alarm Prompt Measures

June 1914

June 27th 1914.CADEBY CANARDS

Gob Fire Causes Great Alarm Prompt Measures

Disquieting reports of an explosion at Cadeby Main Colliery caused considerable alarm in the district on Wednesday June 24th 1914, and rumours of a disaster rivalling in seriousness the big explosion of 1912, were freely circulated in the district. Happily, those reports were baseless, but they cost anxious management a good deal of trouble before the actual facts could be published.

It appears that a deputy in charge of the North District of the mine, detected the dreaded `Gob Stink´, while making his inspection on Monday afternoon June 22nd 1914. It was immediately reported, and the `Gob Stink´ was quickly traced to a big fault. It was evident that the fire was making rapid progress, for the stink got very bad, and smoke and fumes were given off and travelled down the airway. Unfortunately also the outbreak was further assisted by the ignition of a small pocket of gas which had reached it, but the gas was insufficient in volume to cause a large explosion, and prompt action was taken to clear other accumulations of gas.

Soon the men engaged on the fire were able to get within twelve yards of it, and on Tuesday morning they had made such progress that they were able to complete their work and reduce the danger to a minimum by stowing off the fire and leaving it to be gradually smothered.

Below ground there was no alarm and no panic, and the management may be said to have dealt very smartly and coolly with the emergency. Nevertheless this fault side has a somewhat sinister reputation from it´s liability to outbreaks of this description, and it is more than probable that the vicinity of this outbreak will be permanently sealed off.

What gave colour to the sensational stories which had got abroad, was the fact that the management set down ( closed ) the pit for the day, and turned back home the morning shift of workmen, until the extent of this discovery and the nature of the trouble had been investigated, they had also hurried out of the mine the men on night shift who were not needed on this emergency. Prudence and a lively memory of the strictures of the Chief Inspector of Mines, after the last disaster, recommended that course of action.

During the morning inspections were made by Mr. T. Hill and Mr. P. Bonsall ( Checkweighmen ) on behalf of the men, and they expressed themselves satisfied that the fire was under control.

On Wednesday work in the mine was partially resumed, and things were back to normal by Thursday.