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Abbeystead disaster

1980s in Lancashire1984 disasters in the United Kingdom1984 in England1984 industrial disastersDisasters in Lancashire
Explosions in 1984Explosions in EnglandGas explosionsHistory of LancashireMay 1984 events in the United Kingdom
Plaque commemorating the 1984 Abbeystead Explosion geograph.org.uk 514373
Plaque commemorating the 1984 Abbeystead Explosion geograph.org.uk 514373

The Abbeystead disaster occurred on the evening of 23 May 1984 when a methane gas explosion destroyed a waterworks' valve house at Abbeystead, Lancashire, England, killing 16 people. A group of 44 visitors were inside the underground building at the time, attending a public presentation by North West Water Authority (NWWA) to demonstrate the operations of the station. Eight were killed instantly by the explosion, and the others were severely injured. The explosion also caused the concrete roof to fall down onto the group, destroying the steel-mesh floor and throwing some of the victims into the water chambers below, which rapidly filled with river water. Another eight people subsequently died of their injuries in hospital; an 11-year-old boy and his mother were among the dead. The official inquiry into the disaster concluded that the methane had seeped from coal deposits 4,000 feet (1,200 m) below ground and had built up in an empty pipeline. The gas was then ejected into the valve house by the sudden pressure of water as the pumps were switched on. The cause of ignition has never been determined.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Abbeystead disaster (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Abbeystead disaster
Abbeystead Lane, Lancaster Over Wyresdale

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Wikipedia: Abbeystead disasterContinue reading on Wikipedia

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N 53.9788 ° E -2.6804 °
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Abbeystead Lane
LA2 9BQ Lancaster, Over Wyresdale
England, United Kingdom
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Plaque commemorating the 1984 Abbeystead Explosion geograph.org.uk 514373
Plaque commemorating the 1984 Abbeystead Explosion geograph.org.uk 514373
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