The horror Edinburgh story of five miners who were 'buried alive' for 12 hours

What should have been a routine day at work for five Edinburgh men turned into a day of horror - but ultimately a miracle - after they were buried alive over 70 years ago.

Five local miners carried out their usual work on August 14, 1953, but ended up with a tale that would be kept for generations after they became trapped underneath a fallen roof for half a day.

The men had heard rumbling and cracking noises for some time during the day, before the structure eventually crumbled. James Barnes, George Prentice, Alfred Coyle, Fred Hitchman, and James P Cutt were all working back-shift before the horror began.

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Barnes told the Halifax Evening Courier the following day: “It suddenly all came away with a rush and all I could do was run.”

Somehow, all five men escaped with their lives and were - for the most part, unscathed. An investigation discovered breaches of the 1947 Support Rules and 1911 Coal Mines Act, and claimed a number of officials had been guilty of neglect.

The dismissal of the manager and under-manager, and the demotion of the overman and three firemen followed the accident. With the Coal Board satisfied that necessary action had been made the Newcraighall Colliery, also known as the Klondyke, continued normal procedures.

Alex Moffat, secretary of the Lothians area of National Union of Mineworkers, said: “The board at that time, while not admitting our contention of breaches of the Act, agreed the accident was serious enough for them to investigate after they had suspended the manager.

“We consider the action taken by the board will impress on officials that safety is priority number one in the pits.”

The following year, four National Coal Board officials were tried at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, on their failing to meet Section 36 of the Coal Mines Act which required at least two ways of allowing the men to exit the mine and reach the surface. By the end of the trial, all four members were cleared of negligence.

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After peaking in 1950 with a workforce of 810, the Newcraighall Colliery eventually ended operations in 1968 and was abandoned in 1970. What may be surprising to some, is the last coal field to be flooded in Scotland- which happened just 20 years ago in 2002.

That being said, the industry as a whole was dwindling from the late 60s onwards and the residents of communities who had settled in the areas felt the effects.

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Today, the site houses a hotel and pub - just a stone's throw away from Fort Kinnaird. The retail park, which opened in 1989, is currently the second largest retail park in the UK - and not a single coal-stained face would be seen with a walk around.

This article was originally published on April 10, 2022.