Fire at Denaby Main Colliery

On Friday night, late, as one of the workmen employed in the Horse Level at Denaby Main Colliery was pursuing his usual avocation, he detected the presence of fire, which had become evident from the volume of smoke which filled the place.

He instantly communicated with the deputy, and measures were at once taken for the subjugation of the smouldering mass of “bind” which threatened to break out into flames.

The masses of Earth and “bind” which had been made bared by the coal getting process are walled off from the rest of the workers, and between the wall and the face they deposited heaps of wet sand, this being considered the most effective means of keeping the fire in. How this present outbreak originated is not immediately known, but it exercised the most strenuous efforts of the manager, Mr W.H.Chambers and the officials in keeping it within a safe compass.

The means adopted for doing this was the building of sand walls, and the free use of water, which was conveyed from the river Don, and poured on to the smouldering mass. Work was not continued after the departure of the night shift on Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday the efforts of the officials were directed to the extinction of the fire. It was not until yesterday that the fire was in any degree got under, but as the day advanced it soon became evident that the mastery would be obtained.

At the time of writing there is every prospect of the fire being thoroughly subdued, unless something unexpected happens, and in all likelihood the pit will resume work today. Very little damage has been done, and no water has got into the workings.