Cilfynydd is a small village in Glamorgan, a short drive from the Welsh capital of Cardiff. Situated on the banks of the River Taff, it is right in the heart of the South Wales Coalfield. In 1887, the village welcomed the opening of the Albion Colliery. Seven years later, the local residents were reeling from one of the worst mining disasters in British history.
The first few years of the mine showed an impeccable safety record, with the workings relatively free of gas. On the afternoon of June 23, 1894, that all changed...
Just before 4pm, a massive explosion occurred underground. A total of 290 men and boys were lost, and nearly every family in the village was affected. One household in Howell street lost eleven members; the father, four sons, and six lodgers. In addition, 123 of the 125 horses in the mine were killed.
The enquiry into the incident concluded that the cause of the explosion was simply a tragic combination of an accumulation of firedamp (the term is used to describe a number of flammable gases in coal mines) and the collapse of a rock roof, which caused a rapid flow of air through the area.
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