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Colliery explosion, Duffryn pit 1852
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Colliery explosion, Duffryn pit 1852
Scene of an explosion, near Aberdare Valley, mouth of the middle Duffryn pit. No deaths were occasioned more by choke or after-damp than from the fire-damp. Date: 1852
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Media ID 23057014
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
1852 Aberdare Coal Colliery Explosion Explosions Duffryn
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this haunting image from the past, the aftermath of a devastating colliery explosion at the Middle Duffryn pit near Aberdare Valley in Wales is captured in all its grim detail. The year was 1852, and the coal industry was a major driving force of the Industrial Revolution, providing the fuel that powered the factories and homes of the burgeoning urban centers. Yet, the human cost of this progress was often high. The scene before us is one of destruction and chaos. Smoke and debris fill the air, obscuring the once familiar landmarks of the colliery. Miners, their faces etched with shock and despair, gather at the edge of the explosion site, surveying the damage. In the foreground, a horse and cart stand abandoned, its cargo likely lost in the blast. Despite the ominous title of "explosion," it was not the initial blast that caused the most fatalities in this tragedy. Rather, it was the subsequent release of fire-damp, a highly flammable gas that can collect in coal mines and ignite with a spark. The victims of the Duffryn pit explosion were not killed by the initial blast, but rather by the suffocating effects of the fire-damp that followed. This image serves as a stark reminder of the dangerous conditions that coal miners faced in the mid-19th century. It is a testament to the human cost of progress, and a call to remember the sacrifices made by those who toiled in the dark, cramped confines of the coal mines. The explosion at Middle Duffryn pit is but one of many such tragedies that marked the history of the coal industry, and serves as a reminder of the importance of safety measures and regulations in protecting workers and ensuring a safer, more equitable future for all.
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