DISASTER AT TYNEWYDD COLLIERY PORTH APRIL 1887

On the 11th April 1877, at about 4p.m.., the Tynewydd pit of the Troedyrhiw colliery became inundated with water. At the time of the disaster the pit employed about 100 men, but when the accident occurred only 14 men were underground. The accident was caused by a breakthrough from the mine's workings through to the abandoned, and flooded, workings of the old Cymmer Pit. Immediately rescue attempts were begun to find the fourteen missing miners. Five survivors were found when a knocking was heard, and rescuers cutting through a 12 yards thick pillar of coal reached them the following morning. Unfortunately the force of compressed air released when the first small hole was cut to the pocket where the man were, led to one of the survivors (William Morgan) being crushed to death. It was assumed that the remaining nine men had been drowned in the flooded mine. However further knocking was heard coming from the stall of Thomas Morgan, which was below the level of the floodwater, leading rescuers to assume that some survivors had been trapped in an air pocket. An unusual rescue attempt using two divers from London was attempted, but the amount of debris in the mine made it impossible. As such the only means of reaching the trapped miners was to cut through over 38 yards of coal. Working day and night it took the rescuers ten days to reach the five trapped men, during which time the plight of the miners captured the attention of the world's press with even Queen Victoria sending telegrams asking for the latest news. At 2.30 p.m. on Friday April 20th the rescue team finally reached the five trapped men, who had been without food and had only the filthy flood waters to drink for ten days. The miners were all found to be suffering from 'the bends' due to rapid decompression and spent eighteen days in hospital, but otherwise made full recoveries from their ordeal. Four other miners missing after the flooding had drowned in the workings.  

Afterwards Queen Victoria awarded twenty-four first and second class Albert medals to the rescuers.