 "Fatal and deplorable accident at the Champagney coal mine". | |
 Interactive map of Saint-Louis coal mine disaster | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | Ronchamp commune,Haute-Saône department |
| Country | France |
| Coordinates | 47°42′25″N06°39′13″E / 47.70694°N 6.65361°E /47.70694; 6.65361 |
| Production | |
| Type | Coal mine |
| Owner | |
| Company | Ronchamp coal mines |
On 10 April 1824 an explosion occurred in theSaint-Louis coal mine inChampagney, France. The explosion, called thefirst disaster at the Saint-Louis coal mine, was the firstfiredamp explosion in the Ronchamp and Champagney coalfields (Haute-Saône) and one of the first in France. It was also one of thedeadliest in the history [fr] of theRonchamp coal mines, killing twenty and injuring sixteen. The disaster had a profound impact on the local population and national opinion, calling into question the safety of firedamp mines and the conditions ofventilation.
In April 1824, on the north side of theSaint-Louis coal mine, not far from the Basventadit, in a rugged terrain close to ageological fault,[1] a coal exploration was organized. A strong release offiredamp occurred, which was mitigated by the installation of a fan andventilation pipes. But this system proved ineffective, and the gas began to accumulate in the workings, which had been abandoned for two years, 50 meters from theshaft[2].
In August 1821, according to the reports of the time and the civil mining engineer François Mathet (1823-1908), Mr. Parrot,mining engineer, first noticed the presence offiredamp in this mine while drilling the Chevaladit, a short distance from the outcrops. At that time, Mr. Parrot (again according to François Mathet) "recommended that the operators take the precautions in use at the time, which consisted of igniting thefiredamp that had accumulated at the top of the tunnels by a worker called Pénitent, who crawled along covered with wet cloths[3]".
According to Mr. Combes, in a report to theAcadémie des Sciences entitledPhysique du lobe - Sur le dégagement du grisou ou hydrogène carboné, dans les mines de charbon de terre (Physics of the lobe - On the release of firedamp or carbonized hydrogen in coal mines):[1]
"According to a report by the mining engineers, the flammable gas was rarely seen in this mine and very small quantities; however, a small release had occurred shortly before the accident during a reconnaissance operation at the bottom of the Saint-Louis shaft (. ..)".
On 10 April 1824 the firstfiredamp explosion occurred in the Ronchamp coalfield,[2][4] one of the first in France.[5] Depending on the version, theexplosion was caused either by contact with the flames of the lamps of the workers in the tunnel or by the presence of one of them in the old workings.[6]
Thedeflagration spread over a distance[6] of 800 meters, killing twenty people, including aminer manager, injuring sixteen with varying degrees of seriousness, and destroying the mine. The tragedy had a major impact on the local population, not only because it was the first accident of its kind, but also because of the number of victims.[5][7]
On 1 July 1824 the Mining Board decided to mandate the firstDavy safety lamp.[5][8] On 21 January 1826 the state made the use ofsafety lamps compulsory, despite the opposition of the workers. Several exemptions[6] watered down this measure.
However, several other serious explosions occurred in the area, and the second disaster at theSaint-Louis coal mine claimed the lives of thirty miners on 31 May 1830.[6]