 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2020) |
| Date | 1 September 1923 |
|---|---|
| Time | 13:00 |
| Location | Bellbird, New South Wales |
| Type | Coal mine disaster |
| Deaths | 21 |
| Inquiries | Two coronial inquests and a Royal Commission |
| Inquest | 1925-1926 Royal Commission |
| Coroner | George Brown (Cessnock Coroner) |
The 1923 Bellbird Mining Disaster took place on 1 September 1923 when there was a fire at Hetton-Bellbird coal mine, known locally as the Bellbird Colliery or mine. The coal mine was located near the village of Bellbird, which is itself three miles southwest of Cessnock in the Northern coalfields of New South Wales, Australia.[1] The accident occurred in the No. 1 Workings of the mine and resulted in the deaths of 21 miners and their horses.[1] At the time of the disaster the mine employed 538 people including 369 who worked underground.[2]
The disaster prompted a thorough investigation into the causes of the accident, which resulted in legislative changes that were implemented in an effort to improve worker safety in Australian coal mines. These efforts culminated with the Mines Rescue Act 1925 which established standards for mine rescue operations in New South Wales.[3]
- ^ a b "Bellbird Mine 1923- Mining Accident Database". www.mineaccidents.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2020.
- ^ "An Enduring Sense Of Disaster - The Bellbird Colliery, 1923 | Mine Safety". Australasian Mine Safety Journal. 6 June 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ "Mines rescue celebrate 88 years of safety". www.hbrmag.com.au. Retrieved 8 November 2020.