Chung Chi
As part of the Chinese Historical Wrongs Legacy Initiative, we’ve digitized a small selection of inquests and inquiries from 1872 to 1934, found in series GR-0431. These were chosen to reflect the experiences of early Chinese immigrants to B.C. – their living and working conditions, and their unfortunate accidental or unusual deaths. They range from a woman working in a brothel in Barkerville who died of natural causes to three sawmill workers who died from malnutrition. Learn more.
*All transcriptions are provided by volunteers, and the accuracy of the transcriptions is not guaranteed. Please be sure to verify the information by viewing the image record, or visiting the BC Archives in person.
*Please note that archival source materials are original historical documents that have not been censored, reviewed or otherwise altered by the Royal BC Museum. Some materials may contain content that is racist, sexist or otherwise offensive. The Royal BC Museum is only the custodian of archival materials; the content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Royal BC Museum.
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Q: What makes you think so? A: Well there was a gas explosion, and the gas had to be ignited. They were all working with safety lamps. The gas must have been ignited by a blaze, but then it might have been caused by a defective lamp
Q: It might have been? A: It might have been
Q: It must have been caused either by the carelessness of a Chinaman, or by a defective lamp? A: Either one or the other. It seems to me there was a big body of gas coming off there, and I am satisfied the explosion occurred in the neighborhood of No 6, between 6 + 7. I rather think there must have been a big body of gas coming off.
Q: How many years experience have you had as a miner? A: I've worked in a coal mine since I was 15 years old - about 13 years experience off and on.
Q: Did you examine the place where the cave in occurred? A: No, I couldn't very well examine it. We came to the cave and had to go around to the next stall.
By Mr. Pooley: Did you examine it on more than this particular occasion? A: No, only this once. That was the first time I was ever down in No 6
By a Juror:- Do you think it possible that a naked light could have been in use and caused this explosion? A: No, although it might have been possible that the driver might have been careless and gone into a stall, and it might have been caused by his naked light. Of course in OCB the event of that, those in the stalls would have been killed and the Chinaman driver, as he would only light the tail end of it, would get away. It might have been caused that way, I don't think it was, but you can't tell.
By Another Juror:
Q: According to the evidence I think you said you thought it would be impossible for that gas to have ignited from the light in the driver's hands? A: It was, providing he was
BC Archives GR-0431 Box 6 File 3 BRITISH COLUMBIA, ATTORNEY GENERAL. Inquisitions/inquests conducted by coroners in British Columbia.