He kept his head down to allow the explosion to pass over him, but as soon as the explosion had occurred stood upright as much as possible to avoid the afterdamp. |
Afterdamp is the mixture of gases found in a mine after an explosion or fire. |
They had managed to soak their shirts in water and breath through them to filter out the afterdamp. |
The afterdamp and smoke passed directly to the airshaft from the split of the ventilating current in the section. |
As they had been almost completely destroyed it was impossible to enter owing to the afterdamp which prevailed. |
Explosions made headlines, but falling rocks killed more miners, who could also be poisoned by underground gases, which they variously named stinkdamp, blackdamp, firedamp, and afterdamp. |