286 Gas Explosion

Pit workers called the gas explosion a “gasuke” around 1899. Upon entering the pit each with a lamp in hand, miners without much knowledge about gas at that time were often injured in gas explosions caused by the methane gas which had accumulated around their coalfaces. Only hewers (sakiyama) suffered from these disasters because each of them started mining single coalfaces before their helper came. It was said that explosive flames were stronger near the roof and that no flames were seen in a 15-centimeter space from the bottom. (Explosive flames reportedly returned to where they started after spreading.) Gas explosions sometimes occurred even after oil lamps were exchanged for safety lanterns and never completely ceased.
Among burnt miners, most of those who had also inhaled explosive gas lost their lives more often than other victims.
There were many victims of gas explosions at that time when no one knew how to deal with gas.

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Even the blast from a gas explosion at a single coalface shook the whole pit and extinguished the lamplights of all miners working underground.