The story of 361 Britons killed by suffocation and burning due to an oil lamp

 

A photograph of workers in a coal mine during the Victorian era

The story of 361 Britons killed by suffocation and burning due to an oil lamp

In the 19th century, coal mining posed a grave danger to workers, who faced the constant threat of explosions and mine collapses. In Yorkshire, England, in 1857, a mine explosion killed 189 people. In the Wood Pitt disaster in Lancashire in 1878, approximately 180 miners perished in a similar accident. The Oaks disaster in Yorkshire in 1866, which claimed the lives of over 300 miners and rescuers, remains the worst in English mining history.

Harsh living conditions for miners

Despite the existence of some laws that attempted to prohibit their presence in mines, a large number of children and teenagers worked in mines during the mid-19th century. At that time, these children and teenagers performed tasks typically reserved for men, such as pulling heavy carts and extracting and collecting coal. Additionally, due to their small size, children were exploited to navigate narrow passages within the mines and to dig ventilation shafts.

Inside the mines, workers endured harsh working conditions, facing dust, fumes, darkness, intense heat, and exhaustion. Often confined to small-scale mine shafts, miners were forced to work nearly 14 hours a day, six days a week, for a meager wage of 6 shillings per day for adults, 2 shillings for those aged 12 to 17, and less than 1 shilling for those under 12.

In addition to these harsh conditions, the miners faced disease outbreaks, including typhoid and cholera, and received meager meals in the tin shacks built by the companies that exploited the mines near the work sites. These meals often consisted of potatoes, bread, and tea.

361 dead

Between December 12th and 13th, 1866, England was rocked by a disaster that highlighted the plight of miners. Around 1:00 PM on December 12th, 1866, a massive explosion occurred in the Oaks Coal Mine in Barnsley, Yorkshire, caused by a buildup of methane gas. According to several sources, the explosion was caused by the use of lighting equipment, primarily oil lamps, which had become filled with highly flammable methane. Following this initial explosion, many miners perished, while others found themselves trapped underground.

Later, rescue teams arrived at the scene and began attempting to rescue those trapped. The following day, another violent explosion rocked the mines, killing several rescuers and sealing the fate of the remaining miners.
According to official statistics, the mine explosion between December 12 and 13, 1866, killed 361 people, including 27 rescuers and a large number of children.

In the following period, authorities began recovering bodies after extensive search and excavation operations. However, not all the missing persons were found, and identifying some of the bodies proved difficult due to severe burns. Following days of searching, Barnsley witnessed numerous funeral processions attended by large crowds.
The Oaks mine explosion sparked outrage among British politicians, who promptly addressed the issue of mine safety. Following this, mine safety measures were strengthened, and workers were required to use safer lighting equipment.