Mr. C. Maynard held an inquest at Quarrington Hill yesterday regarding the death of three men - Thomas Gorman, coal hewer; Thomas Luke, deputy-overman; and Matthew Davison, coal hewer - who died in consequence of a fall of the roof in Kelloe Pit on Monday. The circumstances have already been reported. The inquest was intended by Mr. D. Bain, Inspector of Mines, Mr. John Wilson, M. P., and others. Evidence was given showing that Gorman and Luke were 47 years of age and Davison 25. Mr. Chipchase, the manager of the pit, produced plans of the low main seam, where the men were killed. The accident occured on Monday night about 9 o'clock. The deceased were fetching a pillar of coal back, and there was about 15 or 20 yards of goaf on. The roof fell away at the goaf, and canted the props out. The stone had fallen up to the face. Gorman and Luke were lying about four feet from the face and Davison five yards. The fall extended 14 yards along the face, and 15 yards into the goaf, and there was about 100 tons of it. Another man was working there at the time, but he was at the end of the fall, and was brought out alive. There were five rows of props in, the manager further stated, when the roof gave way. Luke had examined the place on Saturday, and reported that there were no defects, and that it was safe. The cause of the fall was by so much goaf on, though Luke had withdrawn ten props on Saturday.
Mr. Wilson suggested that if two rows of chocks had been put in the place would have been safer; but the manager replied that nothing would have stopped this great weight of stone. There were plenty of props next the face.
Edward McGuiness, a putter, who had been in the face a few minutes before the fall, saw nothing the matter then.
Similar evidence was given by George Hind and William Harrod, miners, and ultimately a verdict of "Accidental death" was returned.