Page 10 - CORNICE GRADE 9

An Eye

Inside the pit

Husker Pit, a coal
mine in the
community of
Silkstone Common
near Barnsley, had a
horrible
accident on July 4,
1838.

The day began hot, bright, and beautiful
but by 2 p.m., a tremendous storm had
erupted.

As result of the heavy rain, surrounding waterways
began to flood. Because the rain put out the
boiler fire of the steam-powered winding engine,

my underground buddies and I were unable
to be hauled out of the pit. This meant that, in addition to
myself and my pals, there were approximately 40 children
from 7 to 17 years old stuck underneath!

We received a message instructing us to proceed to the pit bottom
and wait for the boiler to be
re-lit so that we could be pulled out.

We had no idea what was going on and some of us assumed there was a fire
below or on the pit top. We had spent nine hours in darkness and we
were desperate to leave.

We began to fear for our lives after a while, and the children (who were only 7
years old at the time) became anxious since they were missing their parents.

They disobeyed instructions to stay there and attempted to reach the surface by
trekking out along the drift. We tried to stop them, but they wouldn't listen to any of us.

A torrent swelled by the heavy rain overflowed into the drift as the terrified children sought to
make their way to safety. The children were washed off their feet and down to the ventilation
door through which they had just escaped.

The other workers and I rushed towards them in an attempt to save them, but we were too late; the
water rose and two children drowned.

-Bibhor Yadav

1