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The Mauricewood Colliery Disaster, occurred at the Mauricewood Colliery, near Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland on 5 September 1889. A total of 63 miners were killed. At the time the mine was owned by the Shotts Iron Company Ltd.
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Fire and rescue operation
On 5 September 1889 at around noon sections of the wood lining of the Mauricewood Colliery ignited and the ensuing fire spread to a nearby coal seam. At that time 70 men and boys were working underground, of which 63 died and 7 survived. The underground fire took four days to extinguish. It was not until 16 March 1890 that all the bodies of the victims were recovered.
Aftermath
The cause of the fire was never determined although it led to the pit being closed which caused major losses to the two local railway lines, the Penicuik Railway and the Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway.