The Blantyre mining disaster which happened on the morning of October 22, 1877, in Blantyre, Scotland, was and remains Scotland’s worst. Blantyre Colliery, William Dixons pit numbers 1 and 2 both blasted killing 207 miners. It was known that fire damp was present in the pit and it is likely that this was ignited by a naked flame.
At this time rescue arrangements were inadequate and Alexander Macdonald, president of the Miners' National Association and a former miner prevented the surviving employees from attempting a rescue attempt, on safety grounds.