Burngrange 10 January 1947

15 men killed by explosion:

• David Carroll, shale miner, married 36
• William Carroll,shale miner, married 31 (David & William were brothers)
• Henry Law Cowie, shale miner, single, 36
• George Easton, shale miner, married, 53
• John Fairley, shale miner, single, 20
• William Gray Boyd Findlay (formerly Shields), shale miner, married 56
• Anthony Gaughan, shale miner, married 45
• William Greenock, shale miner, married, 50
• Thomas Dempster Heggie, shale miner, married 26
• John Sommerville Lightbody, shale miner, married 41
• James McAuley, shale miner, married 59
• John McGarty, shale miner, single, 30
• David Muir, shale miner, single, 25
• Samuel Dargavel Pake, shale miner, married 24
• William Findlay Ritchie, shale miner, married 38

Newspaper Reports

WEST CALDER PIT DISASTER
Worst in Shale Mining History - Fifteen Miners Lose Their Lives
(By Our Own Correspondent)
A disaster unprecedented in the long history of shale mining in which fifteen miners lost their lives struck Burngrange Pit, West Calder, "show-piece” of the shale-mining industry and most modern of shale pits, last Friday evening about eight o'clock.

Fifty-three men went down on that ill-fated back-shift but only thirty-eight shaken and horror stricken miners came up, bringing with them one of their comrades dead and leaving fourteen others trapped behind a blazing inferno and a great fall of debris to be the central figures in one of the most dramatic and gallant rescue bids in the history of mining. A bid that was glorious in endeavour and in courage, but was also unavailing, for the men were brought out four days later, dead, victims of their relentless calling and another sum in the total of death and human misery it so remorselessly exacts.

The Victims
John M'Garty (30), Limefield Avenue, West Calder, single.
John Lightbody (39), Gloag Place, West Calder, married, two of a family.
Anthony Gaughan (44), Parkhead Crescent, West Calder, married, two of a family,
David Muir (32), Parkhead Crescent, West Calder, single.
George Easton (48), Northfield Cottages, West Calder, married, three of a family.
Henry Cowie (28), Parkhead Crescent, West Calder, single.
William Ritchie (38) Old Rows,Seafield, married, three of a family
William Greenock (50), Cousland Terrace, Seafield, married, three of a family.
John Fairlie (21), Old Rows, Seafield, single.
Thomas Heggie (27), Cousland Crescent Seafield, married, two of a family.
William Finlay (56), Polbeth, West Calder, married, three of a family.
James M'Aulay (56), Polbeth, West Calder, married, with a large family.
Samuel Pake (24), New Breich, West Calder, married, one of a family.
William Carroll (31), Cousland Terrace, Seafield, married, two of a family.
David Carroll (37), Old Rows, Seafield, married, five of a family.

The News Spreads - The normal Friday evening life of West Calder was shattered by the wailing of the sirens indicating pit disaster and heralding a period of mourning and loss unequalled in the long history of mining associations. Only a mining community can appreciate the true significance of such dread summons and with that feeling of nameless horror and anxiety for loved ones down there the population joined in the general rush for the pithead, there to stand in silence or speaking in hushed tones as the rescue workers rushed to their errand of mercy. Those with dear ones and relatives in the pit were beside themselves with anxiety, hoping for the best but prepared for the worst, while those with no such intimate anxiety gave them that silent sympathy of understanding that is more expressive than words.

Rescue Brigades Arrive - Rescue brigades from Edinburgh I and from other parts of the shale-field were rushed to the scene and together with the N.F.S. from Bathgate and Edinburgh joined the local men and the Scottish Oils officials in whatever action the situation demanded. Hundreds of miners stood by ready to volunteer on the instant for any service asked of them. It was early evident that the situation was serious and news of what was happening down below soon became available. It appeared that the normal work of the shift was suddenly interrupted by explosion, one man who was in the pit at the time telling me that there were several explosions culminating in one huge upheaval which turned the pit into a living inferno.

Men engaged on stooping operations told of the first explosions being followed by crush on their places that brought the roof six to eight inches nearer the pavement and sent all in the area flying to the pit bottom for safety. On the way out the last terrible explosion occurred, throwing all from their feet like feathers in the wind.

The First Victim - Among those fleeing was John M'Garty (30), Limefield Avenue, West Calder, who was hurled by the force of the blast against a prop and struck it with his head to be killed instantly His body was carried out by his workmates in a nightmare journey to the pit bottom, crawling along the rails in darkness for guidance. The dead man's mate, Thomas Reid, 23-years-old Bevin Boy, although suffering from minor injuries and concussion, made the journey to safety and remained at the pithead all night.

These were the fortunate ones but the men of Gaughan's Book did not come out. They were fourteen in number and when the rescuers went to seek them they found their passage barred by a raging fire and a fall of debris, the extent of which it was impossible to ascertain. The scene that greeted them is impossible to describe but can only be imagined. Shale is not normally easy to alight and in the usual procedure of retorting in the oil-works there has to be an average temperature of 900 degrees Fahrenheit before the oil gases are given off. In effect, a shale mine fire transforms the mine into gigantic retort and the heat the rescuers had to face can be judged. All the time fumes and gases are given off in which no man can live without special breathing apparatus. This was what confronted firemen and rescue workers and what these fellows did cannot be too highly praised. Mining is a calling where courage is not rare virtue and the volunteer rescue brigades have it in generous measure.

All of them were liberal in their praises of the part played by the N.F.S., most of whom had never been in a mine before. The circumstances were harrowing enough to the trained miner but to them it must have been terrible. The courage they displayed at Burngrange will long be remembered as one of the epics of a heroic service.

The Battle to Quell the Fire - All night long the battle to quell the fire went on so that the rescue squads might tackle the fall that lay between them and the trapped men. One attempt by two of them in their asbestos suits and apparatus had to be abandoned became of the terrific heat of the fire and an atmosphere of fumes and smoke impenetrable and impossible. Water was being relayed from the sumps at the pit bottom and from a dammed burn on the surface and was played continuously on the blaze by the firemen. It seemed to have little effect, however, and towards midday on Saturday it was rumoured that it had been decided to seal off the fire and thereby abandon all hope of reaching the trapped men. Thousands of sand bags and many tons of sand were taken down the shaft for this purpose, the operation being viewed with misgivings and drooping spirits by the relatives of the trapped men and the hundreds of people at the pithead who realised the significance of it.

Hope of Recovering Bodies - Later, however, Mr Robert Crichton, managing director of Scottish Oils, who had hurried to the scene on receipt of the news and remained almost without respite all through, spending long periods down below, announced in a manner that showed how affected he was by the disaster that it had been decided to continue efforts to quell the fire and reach the entombed men and so the drama went on. Saturday went past and on Sunday morning it was thought that the fire was being mastered and that the fumes coming from the return air shaft were diminishing in quantity and hopes began to rise.

Escorted by Mr Crichton and Mr John Caldwell, Scottish Oils' Mining agent, the Mines Inspector went down to view the situation and to decide on future action. The crowds still hung around the pithead and crowds of newspapermen and photographers drilled around eager for any information that would add anything to the story. This disaster focussed the attention of the whole country on the shale oil area and much has been written on every single angle of it, too much perhaps. There is little I want to add to it because having been a shale miner myself I alone perhaps all the newspapermen there really appreciated what was actually going down below. I needed little effort of imagination to picture it all because I could not forget what I had seen and experienced myself. The sorrow was all about me and I could not bring myself to intrude on the grief of the relatives of the lads behind that fire and fall by seeking the intimate details. Instinctively I felt that my compassion would be understood without my expressing it. The real drama was below and the men who were enacting it would have no desire to speak of it I knew. That, I think, is how we in this area all feel about it. The tragedy of Burngrange is not confined to fifteen families nor to the stricken village of Seafield where six of the victims came from, but it is shared by us all. It might just as easily have been any village or town in the Lothians and we therefore all share in the loss.

Getting the Fire Under Control - When Mr Crichton and the Mines inspector came up some three hours later it was announced that efforts to quell the fire were going ahead and that there was every chance that the section where the men were would be reached soon. The slenderest of hope that they might have made their way to some corner away from the deadly fumes and might conceivably be alive were extended. Standing there watching the fumes coming out of the air shaft and drifting in the wind over the stricken town it seemed too much to hope for. The air smelled as if all the oilworks in the area had opened the mains and allowed the oil gases to go free. If it were like that on the surface what could it be like down below. Dr, Reid, Scottish mining expert and member of the National Coal Board, was there to offer his assistance, and supplies of steel pipe, capable of withstanding great pressure, were rushed from Coatbridge so that more water could be taken to the fire.

Water Mains Tapped - It was announced that the water supply was running low and orders were given to tap the water mains for the district, the B.B.C. broadcasting a warning to Midlothian consumers of the likely shortage of water because of this. Steel girders were rushed down below indicating that tunnelling was going on to get through the fall. So the battle went on, but it was not until Tuesday morning that the climax came. The fire had been got under control and the rescue brigades had succeeded in getting beyond the fall.

The Victims Reached - First man in was Jas. Readie, Threemiletown, captain of one of the rescue brigades, who found the bodies of thirteen of the men lying some sixty yards beyond the fall. All of them were close together and unmarked. They had been overcome by the deadly fumes in the race for safety. The body of the fourteenth man was found later nearer the working face. He was known to have suffered from heart trouble and would not be able to move as fast as his mates. The bodies were conveyed to the surface and to a temporary mortuary at Addiewell Works. It was announced that the fire was well under control and that the pit had suffered very little serious damage and would be able to resume production soon.

Thus ended the greatest drama the shale industry has ever known, a disaster that none ever contemplated could occur in this type of work. It cost fifteen valuable lives and the efforts to safe them rank as a glorious page in shale history, a record of sheer courage and unselfish devotion. The recovery of the bodies, sad as it was, nevertheless was a blessing in so far as it set at rest the minds of the men's relatives and friends. It is some degree of comfort to know that they died swiftly and more or less painlessly and not by burning or starvation, trapped and alive and unable to be freed.

Great Public Interest - During the period of anxiety a telegram was received from the Minister of Fuel and Power expressing sympathy for all concerned in the disaster. This was addressed to Mr Walter Nellies, general secretary of the National Union of Shale Miners and Oilworkers. A similar message was addressed to Mr Crichton. Visits were also paid to the pithead by Lord Rosebery, Lord Lieutenant of Mid Lothian and Lord John Hope, M.P. for North Midlothian. A telegram of sympathy was also received by Mr J. D. Brown, chairman of West Calder District Council from the Lord Provost of Edinburgh.

Messages to Relatives - The general secretary of the National Union of Shale Miners and Oil Workers, Mr Walter Nellies has conveyed the union's deepest condolences to the relatives of the explosion victims, and he has also passed on to them messages of sympathy from Lord Hyndley, chairman of the Coal Board; Mr Emanuel Shinwell, Minister of Fuel and Power; Mr David Pryde, M.P. for Pebbles and South Midlothian; from West Lothian Divisional Labour Party, and West Lothian Trades Council.

The Rev. John MacRae, Livingston, was among the first to arrive at the pit on Friday evening and he remained for hours waiting for news of the men. Other clergymen were often in attendance at the pit.

On Tuesday night Mr Robert Crichton visited the homes of the bereaved and expressed deep sympathy. His gesture was warmly appreciated by the dependants.

Trust Fund to be Set Up - It is understood that discussions are taking place with a view to the creation of a special trust fund to provide for the dependant relatives of the 15 men who lost their lives. The affected dependants include 11 widows and 26 children.

An official of the National Union of Shale Miners and Oil Workers stated that a conference between union representatives; and Mr Robert Crichton, managing director of Scottish Oils, Ltd., owners of the mine, had taken place.

Mr Crichton stated that he had been in touch with the chairman of the Coy., Sir William Fraser, and it was agreed to form such a fund. The suggestion was that it should be a trust fund subscribed solely by Scottish Oils, Ltd., and administered by the Coy. on behalf of the bereaved families. Details of the scheme, it was stated, have still to be discussed.

Lord Rosebery, in accepting the proposals of the directors that the fund should be administered by a committee appointed by him as Lord-Lieutenant of the county of Midlothian, said he was sure everyone would be glad to know the steps the directors propose to take.

There had as yet been no step towards the formation of a publicly Subscribed fund, it was stated.

Funerals Yesterday - The funerals of the fourteen miners, whose bodies were recovered from the mine on Tuesday, took place yesterday. Seven of the men were buried at West Calder Cemetery, six at Livingston Churchyard, and one at Whitburn Cemetery. The burials were in separate graves. The funeral of the first victim, John M'Garty, took place on Monday to West Calder Cemetery.

The Burials At West Calder - At West Calder business was at a complete standstill; shops were closed for four hours and blinds were drawn in most of the business premises and in the homes of the people. Many of the workers employed by Scottish Oils Ltd. had ceased work in time to attend the funerals and many of them wore their working clothes.

The first interments were those of two men of Roman Catholic faith. Solemn Requiem Mass was held in the Chapel. Archbishop MacDonald took part in the service, as also did Rev. Jas. Birnie, priest of the parish, and a number of other clergy.

At the other funeral services there was an attendance of over 500 at .the graveside, who showed their sincere sympathy with the bereaved. Later on, one of the victims of the disaster, Mr J. Lightbody, senior deacon of Thistle Lodge, No. 270,. West Calder, was buried with full Masonic honours.

The services held at the gravesides were conducted by Rev. John Davidson, Rev. Donald J. Ross and Rev. J. McDougall.

Man Falls Dead In Street - While crowds thronged West Calder yesterday, returning from the funeral of the shale pit disaster victims, 53-year-old miner, Alex. Russell, of Burngrange Cottages, West Calder, dropped dead in the street.

Scenes At The Graves - Large crowds of mourners gathered at Seafield, between two and three p.m., while the obsequies were proceeded with in the bereaved homes. The whole of these people then proceeded, many in private cars and many in motor buses, to Livingston Churchyard. Each of the men who had lost their lives had a separate party of mourners, and numerous wreathes were placed on each coffin. The bodies were carried into the churchyard to their separate graves, and meanwhile a service was held in the old Church (which was crowded), the ministers taking part being Rev. John MacRae, M.A., Livingston, and D; H. Tweeddale, M.A., Blackburn. There were many indications of the great sympathy felt by the villagers and their friends at the tragic loss suffered by the bereaved.

The Scotsman and the Disaster - Praises the Valiant Rescuers
The Editor of "The Scotsman" had a leading article on the Disaster on Wednesday, in which he praised the valiant attempts at rescue on the part of all engaged in rescue Work. The Editor writes:

After almost five days of untiring striving, the valiant attempt at Burngrange Shale Pit has ended. To the very last, hope was maintained that the trapped men might be brought out alive, since there was a faint chance that, if they had escaped the initial blast of the explosion, they might have managed to reach safety. Words are a poor medium to describe the heroism of the rescue squads or the inferno they endured. On several occasions it looked as if conditions would be too much for them, and that the mine would have to be sealed. That never happened, but had the rescuers been forced to withdraw there could have been nothing but praise for them. Although rational considerations might have pointed to the need for a withdrawal, in such circumstances these do not set the limit to human endeavour, particularly among the mining community. Unfortunately, the herculean effort of the rescuers' has not met with success, although it has resulted in recovery of the bodies of the victims.

Fortunately, tragedies on such a scale are rare in the shale mines and are becoming less frequent in the collieries. They serve, however, as a grim reminder to the public of the risks undertaken by all who work in the bowels of the earth. They also throw into bold relief the intrinsic nobility of the mining community. On such occasions there is no thought of short hours, no regard for differences in religion, and no rancour between employer and workman. Everything is subordinated to the one supreme purpose. At Burngrange, all, from company director to humblest employee, worked to the limit of exhaustion to achieve that end. The rescue effort proceeded at a terrific pace, and tribute must be paid not only to the rescue squads but to the National Fire Service, and to the collieries for the safety appliances they made readily available. The real extent of the loss inflicted by the disaster will be known only in the homes of the bereaved. Yet the sorrow will be shared not only by the little communities in which the men resided, but by the public generally. [West Lothian Courier 17 January 1947]

Scots Shale Pit Explosion – Man Killed At West Calder – Fifteen Trapped - As a result of an explosion in the Burngrange shale pit, West Calder. belonging to Scottish Oils, Ltd., one man has been killed and fifteen men are believed to have been trapped. The explosion occurred shortly before nine o'clock last night, but the cause of it is not known. The first intimation that something was wrong came when the pit hooter was sounded. Some time later an announcement was made by the manageress of the People's Palace, the local cinema, to the effect that a man had been killed and a number trapped. The dead man was John M'Garty (26), single, of Polbeth. After the pit hooter was sounded miners from the surrounding districts hastened to the scene. The N.F.S. from Edinburgh and Airdrie were summoned, as well as rescue brigades from Edinburgh and Coatbridge. The rescue squads were soon at work in the mine, and digging was started. The police stated that the situation was very confused as it was not known how many men were engaged on the shift. People living only a short distance away did not hear any sound of an explosion.

One man who suffered minor injuries was brought up. His name is Thomas Reid, Seafield. Mr Robert Crichton, managing director of Scottish Oils, is directing rescue operations. Among the men believed to be trapped are: Henry Cowie, David Muir, and Anthony Gaughan, all of Parkhead Crescent; George Easton, Northfield Cottages, and John Lightbody, Gloag Place, West Calder. [Scotsman 10 January 1947]

No Hope Left For Entombed Miners – 15 Victims of Shale Pit Explosion - After battling against blinding flames, scorching heat and dense smoke, with crumbling roofs having to be propped up as they slowly advanced, firemen and rescue squads abandoned all hope of saving the 14 miners who were trapped in the Burngrange Shale Pit near West Calder, Midlothian, after an explosion on Friday night. Seventy rescue workers and firemen were still in the pit late this afternoon when it was believed that there was every chance that the fire would be got sufficiently under control to enable them to reach the bodies of the trapped men.

The disaster has actually claimed 15 victims, one man having been killed when groping his way to safety after the explosion.

Only three of the 14 trapped men were unmarried. Nearly 40 children have lost their fathers. The victims include two brothers, William and David Carrol, whose father was killed in a pit accident on his 31st birthday. William had worked the early shift so that he could join his wife at his 31st birthday party.

Poisonous Fumes - Jackets belonging to the trapped men have been found, and the rescue men declared today that if their comrades had not been killed outright by the explosion they could not have lived many minutes in the poisonous fumes. The fire has been burning with almost unbelievable ferocity in the oil-bearing shale 450ft. below the town of West Calder, where all blinds have now been drawn by the 3,000 sorrowing inhabitants. This is the first explosion in the history of the Scottish shale fields.

The mine belongs to Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company, a subsidiary of Scottish Oils and Shell Mex. Sunk 10 years ago, it is the most modern in the British shale oil industry, which is concentrated in Mid and West Lothian. The field supplies a large proportion of the entire world production of shale oil and made an outstanding contribution to the war effort. [Times 13 January 1947]

Efforts to Reach Shale Miners - To assist in the fire-fighting operations which are being continued in the Burngrange shale mine, West Calder, Midlothian, where 14 men were trapped on Friday night, field telephones were yesterday installed in the mine workings An extra supply of water has been made available, and there were indications that some little progress was at last being made in controlling the fire. Lord Rosebery, Lord Lieutenant of the county, who visited the mine, said that he was satisfied everything possible was being done. [Times 14 January 1947]

Trapped Miners Found Dead - After battling all night against heat and fumes rescue squads succeeded yesterday in reaching 13 of the 14 entombed miners trapped by an explosion in Burngrange shale pit, West Calder (Midlothian), last Friday. All were found dead. The 13 bodies were brought to the surface and later in the day the fourteenth body, that of George Easton, was located beyond a further fall of rock and brought to the surface. Death appeared in all cases to have been caused by gas fumes. The men were practically untouched by the fire. [Times 15 January 1947]

The KING has been pleased to award the Edward Medal to David Brown in recognition of his gallantry in the following circumstances: -

An explosion occurred in the Burngrange Shale Mine, West Calder, Midlothian, at about 8pm on Friday, 10th January, 1947, when 53 persons were at work underground in the district. Firedamp was ignited by an open acetylene cap lamp and the initial explosion started fires which spread rapidly.

David Brown, the Overman, descended the pit and proceeded with a fireman to explore the narrow workings where men were trapped. Though they encountered smoke for a time it was not sufficiently dense to prevent progress but as they passed the junction of another heading increasing smoke compelled their withdrawal. After waiting a few minutes Brown made another attempt, alone, to get inbye. He actually got in to No. 3 Dookhead, where he shouted but got no response. He saw no signs, of the inbye men nor of their lights, and he was forced to withdraw again. On his way outbye, he again met the fireman, who said he had been trying to improve the atmospheric conditions in the inbye section by a partial opening of some brattice screen doors, but this step was of no avail. The atmospheric conditions were getting worse all the time, to the spreading of the fires, the extent and seriousness of which even then were not generally realized. Brown, however, did realize the seriousness of the position in relation to the trapped men and immediately sent word explaining the position to the manager who was dealing with fires elsewhere, asking for all possible assistance and making it quite clear that there was no hope of undertaking further exploratory work without the use of rescue teams wearing self-contained breathing apparatus. He then set out to discover for himself where all the smoke was coming from.

Although the National Fire Service was never intended for fire-fighting underground in mines, nevertheless, a team at once volunteered for this duty. Two members of the team donned their one-hour Proto-Breathing Apparatus. Underground, they met the overman, Brown, who pleaded for the use of the two sets of Proto-Apparatus, so that he and another trained member of the Burngrange Mines Rescue Team could make another attempt to get into the workings beyond No. 3 Dook. Using the one-hour apparatus borrowed from the N.F.S. Brown and his companion made an unsuccessful attempt to rescue the trapped men. At 11.15 pm under the captaincy of Brown a fresh team wearing goggles and using a life-line again attempted to reach the men but were forced to return as the temperature was very high and the smoke so dense that their lights could not be seen. There had been a fall of stone and sounds of strata movement were heard. A further attempt along another level led to the discovery of another fire and it became certain that there was no hope of saving the men until this was under control. The work of firefighting continued for four days and it was not until the night of 13th/14th January, that it was considered practicable to send a rescue team beyond the fire area. With one exception the bodies of all the 15 men who lost their lives by the effect of afterdamp and fumes were in No. 3 Dook. [London Gazette 13 January 1948]

The Carnegie Hero Fund Trustees at Dunfermline yesterday awarded an honorary certificate and grants of £25 and £15 respectively to David Brown, mine oversman, 82 Parkhead Crescent, and James M'Arthur, shaleminer, 12 Kirkgate, both of West Calder, Midlothian, who on January 10, 1947, attempted to rescue a number of workmen who had been trapped following an explosion in a colliery at West Calder. Brown has already been awarded the Edward Medal and M'Arthur received the King's Commendation. [Scotsman 30 January 1948]