Brunner Mine disaster

The Brunner Mine was one of several mines situated on the banks of the Grey River, at an area known as ‘Coal Gorge’ between the townships of Stillwater and Taylorville, on the West Coast of the South Island, New Zealand. The town of Brunnerton once existed on this spot.At 9.30am on Thursday the 26th of March 1896, an explosion deep in the Brunner Mine killed all 65 miners inside, and was labelled the worst mining disaster in New Zealand’s history.

Today all that visibly remains of the mine and its related industry are the remains of the old coke ovens on the North side of the river, as well as the memorial at that location listing the names of the miners killed. Not to mention the graves in Stillwater cemetery, including one mass grave containing the bodies of 33 of the miners killed. The entrance to the mine has long been engulfed by the bush, as have any trace of the bustling industry that once existed on that spot. The chimney on the South bank between the road and railway line has often been associated with the Brunner mine, but was actually part of the Tyneside mine on the South side of the river.

Coal was discovered on the West Coast by Nelson surveyor Thomas Brunner “during the most arduous of his journeys in search of more agricultural land” (Wood 1996 p. 10).The coal was of extremely high quality and it did not take long before it attracted interest. And, of course, “The West Coast had the added attraction of gold mining…and it seems that the employment opportunity offered by coal mining was in the difficult economic times not one to be turned down” (Wood 1996 p. 25).

It seemed most likely that the explosion was caused by firedamp, a common hazard in coal mines, where a pocket of methane gas is accidentally ignited and explodes. Firedamp is all the more hazardous because of the after effects of the explosion. Gases known as ‘afterdamp’ –carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide produced by the explosion often prove to be just as deadly and can kill miners untouched by the explosion itself (Cawte 2008 lecture 5).

“Joseph Scott, the Blackball Mine Manager.., believed that the majority (of miners) were killed by the explosion and “not more than half a dozen by the afterdamp”. Robert Russell, believing the explosion to be caused by firedamp, while acknowledging that the explosion force and coal dust flames contributed to the causes of death, believed that “at the end it was the afterdamp gases that killed them (all).” Dr. James McBrearty’s description of many victims frothing at the mouth, suggests asphyxiation by the predominant afterdamp gas, being carbon dioxide. The afterdamp gas carbon monoxide which presented such a problem for the recovery teams must also have contributed to death through poisoning. It was not then fully appreciated that only small quantities of carbon monoxide or white damp could be fatal”(Wood 1996 p.102).

Rescuers entering the mine after the explosion found themselves suffocating on the afterdamp gasses and had to return to the surface, often unconscious, carried by other rescuers (Wood 1996 p. 103), however the determination was such to find the bodies, and to find any survivors, that the rescuers –mostly miners from nearby mines- would insist on returning to the airless mine as soon as they had been revived on the surface (Brockie 1998 p. 93).Miners came from as far as Denniston to assist in the rescue effort, albeit that it took the Denniston miners several days to arrive as they had to travel by sea from Westport. Wood explains this:“The response of the West Coast miners in volunteering for the rescue parties was due to their occupational loyalties and social and kinship ties. Occupational bonding, especially of coal miners, requires obedience to the miner’s code that they come to each other’s assistance. Denniston miners and mine managers, like Blackball miners, included former workmates, relatives and friends belonging to the same generation of immigrants, particularly those arriving between 1875 and 1885” (Wood 1996 p.110).

The bodies of all 65 miners from the Brunner mine were eventually accounted for, including a Mr. John Roberts and three of his sons who were all working that day (Brockie 1998 p. 94) indicating the close family ties shared by many of the miners and compounding the tragedy for their surviving relatives.

Yet despite the tragedy of the Brunner Mine explosion, Wood (1996 p. 111) feels that it was a defining moment in the development of a ‘West Coast identity’. Whereas previously the miners had identified with their respective immigrant groups and origins, the kinship and common goals brought on by the enormous effort to rescue the Brunner Mine victims and then to sympathise and identify with their widows and families brought about a sense of solidarity. “The tragedy helped to break down some old world differences and establish a West Coast identity especially in the mining community.(Wood 1996 p. 111).

References:

Wood, B 1996, "Disaster At Brunner, The Coalmine Tragedy at Brunnerton N.Z, 26 March 1896, A commemorative History," Bright Print, Greymouth, N.Z.

Brockie, B (ed.) 1998, "I Was There, Dramatic First-Hand Accounts From New Zealand's History," Penguin Books, Auckland, N.Z.

Cawte, H 2008, 'Case Studies In Archaeological Research: The Archaeology of Mining, Lecture 5: Safety, Clothing, Housing, University Of Otago, 10 March.