GREAT WESTERN. Rhondda, Glamorganshire. 11th. April, 1893.
(To Conclude)

Mr. Robson commented in his report:-

“Great credit is due to Thomas Rosser, the fireman for this district, for his coolness and prompt action on discovering that smoke was entering the workings by the intake. It appears that he smelt smoke about 1.45 p.m. while standing near the double parting on Holbrook’s Heading, and at once went down the dip, meeting David Richards, master haulier, who told him that there was a lot of smoke coming down the dip behind him. Thomas Rosser immediately sent some men into the working places with instructions to withdraw all men and boys and bring them to the double parting. Rosser, Richards and another man, William Deveraux, went up the dip, through the smoke, and realising the gravity of the situation, made an effort to reach the outermost of the two doors with the intention of opening it and so short circuiting the air current. They, however, failed in this, and returning, opened the second door near the top of Sam Culls dip, and then reached the double parting again where the men were beginning to gather. Although most of the men wanted to make an attempt to get out by the main intake, Rosser was able to dissuade them from this course.

Bye and bye the atmosphere, notwithstanding the opening of the door above mentioned, became by diffusion so impregnated with smoke that he had to move the men further up the heading. He then opened a door between Holbrook’s and Ostler’s Headings and afterwards another on the first crossing 73 yards up these headings, finally erecting a brattice across Holbrook’s Heading inside of this crossing and retreating with the men to the inbye side of it. They waited there about 280 yards from the face of Holbrook’s Heading. Gas had by this time accumulated in the heading and stalls and before they left Rosser had ascertained that it showed in the lamp 120 yards from the face.”

In the meantime some unsuccessful attempts had been made by those on the surface to enter the Four Feet Seam by the Tymawr return but it was not until 8 am. On Wednesday when Mr. Bramwell, Mr. William Stewart of Harris’ Navigation, and Ivor John, a fireman, made the attempt, that this was accomplished. They reached by way of Bidman’s Old Dip and Osbourne’s Cross Heading, James Holbrook’s Level, where they found the body of a haulier and two horses, but the air was too heavily charged with smoke to remain many minutes and they returned to the surface. Mr. Stewart was affected by the smoke but recovered in a day or two.

Efforts were made to overcome the fire in the Four Feet East Level were continued during the night and the following day but the work of getting the water to the fire became more and more difficult owing to falls of roof and the smoke and steam of the burning mass behind which was more or less buried by falls. By midday on Wednesday it was possible to reach the engine about 70 yards outside Thompson’s Dip, and the body of the engineman was seen in the enginehouse. The condition of the air in this level, however, was such that no one could remain in it for long, and it was deemed unwise to make any more attempts until the fire had been reduced and the roadway cooled. Compressed air pipes had been considered by the management and Mr. Treherne Rees, one of the consulting engineers, but the water pipes would not take the pressure. This plan was eventually carried out with the precaution of tapping the column about 70 yards from the bottom of the shaft to relieve the pressure. The work was completed by 11 p.m. on Wednesday and the extra water delivered by these pipes was delivered and enabled the falls to be cooled down sufficiently for the east district and Thompson’s Dip to be explored. This work was completed by 2 a.m. on Thursday but no signs of life were discovered.

Of the 134 men and boys in the East Level district, 37 out of 52 were saved
in the East far end 14 out of the 23
in the East side of Thompson’s Dip, 19 out of 48
and in the West side of Thompson’s Dip 1 out of 11 on the roads inbye of the engine were saved.

The inquest into the disaster was held before Mr. .B. Reece, Coroner for Cardiff and Mr. R.J. Rhys, Coroner for Aberdare and a jury at the New Inn, Pontypridd from the 27th to the 29th. April. All interested parties were represented and the jury returned the following verdict:-

“We find that the accident the Great Western Colliery on 11th April, 1893 caused by a spark or sparks emitted from the brake of the hauling engine at the hard heading, which came in contact with some inflammable substance in the neighbourhood and we do not attribute any negligence to any of the officials either before or after the accident, and that 61 men lost their lives by suffocation from smoke arising from the fire and that Jesse Titley lost his life by falling from the 4- foot landing to the bottom of the seam at Tymawr Shaft.”

The jury also recommended:-

1. That the code of regulations drawn up by Hugh Bramwell be sent to the Home Secretary with the object that those or similar ones should be adopted in other collieries.
2. That sufficient width or surface for brake power be provided at all haulage engine, so as to prevent undue friction.
3. That every care should be exercised in letting down full journeys upon the east hard heading at the Great Western Collier at a uniform rate and speed.”

Mr. Robson concluded his report by saying that the loss of life would have been much greater it the Tymawr upcast shaft had not been a winding pit.

(Google) Aerial View of Hetty, Rhondda Heritage Park