Fatal factory blast is recalled 100 years on
AHEROIC police officer is being remembered ahead of the centenary anniversary of a devastating explosion at a munitions factory which claimed his life.
The blast at the Coteholme Chemical Company in Church on April 27, 1917, turned the sky ‘blood red’, shattered hundreds of nearby house and factory windows and led to the evacuation of surrounding areas, according to reports at the time.
Father-of-two PC James Hardacre, who was on night duty, was killed in the explosion after he gallantly closed a door and isolated the fire from potentially dangerous explosives. Four other people were also injured.
Following the incident, which became known as the Canary Islands Explosion because of the yellow sulphur used in the process, the Rishton-based officer, 34, was awarded the King’s Police Medal.
PC Herbert Bradbury, who was also injured, received a bravery award and six firemen were awarded an OBE for ‘conspicuous courage and devotion to duty’.
Wartime censorship, including details of incident locations, meant the explosion was never fully reported at the time and earned just a brief announcement.
The Observer reported: “The Ministry of Munitions regrets to announce that a fire followed by small explosions took place at an ammunition factory in the North of England early this morning. As far as is known at present the number of casualties are small, amounting to one killed and four injured.”
The ‘ sad’ death of PC Hardacre, who lived on Talbot Street, was briefly reported in the Observer the following week.
It said: “PC Hardacre had been stationed at Rishton four years and leaves a widow and two children. An able officer, he was held in general esteem, and the sympathy of all goes out to the bereaved family.”
An exhibition of cuttings published after the tragedy is due to go on display at Accrington Library.
Hyndburn council leader Miles Parkinson said PC Hardacre’s actions went ‘beyond the call of duty’.
He said: “It’s extremely interesting when the Accrington Observer reprints some of the major stories over the decades and centuries and it’s extremely interesting reading the history of the town.
“It shows over the decades and centuries how the police, fire, ambulance service have put themselves first for the community. They don’t know what they are turning out to and they will go beyond the call of duty and put themselves in harm’s way.” St John Ambulance, based in Rishton, produced a card with a poem written in tribute to PC Hardacre entitled ‘The Noble Deed’. Written by Kate Leeming, the proceeds of its sale went to PC Hardacre’s family.