Huddersfield Chronicle (13/Jan/1894) - Fatal Accident at Butterley Reservoir

The following is a transcription of a historic newspaper article and may contain occasional errors. If the article was published prior to 1 June 1957, then the text is likely in the Public Domain.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT BUTTERLEY RESERVOIR.

Yesterday morning, an accident occurred at the new reservoir works which are being constructed by the Huddersfield Corporation at Butterley, near Marsden, by which one man lost his life and three other men were injnred. The accident happened in the puddle trench, where, on Monday last, blasting operations were carried out. A round of eight shots was fired, and, as far as was known, all the shots duly exploded. From that time, up to yesterday, no work was done in that part of the trench, owing to a falling-in and to water being there. A gang was engaged at 10 o'clock yesterday morning in removing the debris loosened by the round of shots, when, suddenly, a charge exploded in one of the holes, killing Robert Baker, a labourer, and injuring John Lockwood, quarryman, William Hughes, labourer, and William Reed, labourer. Lockwood was so seriously injured that he was removed to the Huddersfield Infirmary, but Hughes and Reed were only slightly injured, and after being attended to by a doctor they were able to proceed home. The only explanation that can be given of the sad accident is that one of the eight shots must have missed fire on Monday and escaped attention. Robert Baker, who was about 45 years of age, leaves a widow and seven children, three of whom are working in a mill.