IN THE WHITEHAVEN MINE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 233, 1 October 1910, Page 5

IN THE WHITEHAVEN MINE.

DEATH CARTE EARLY. BEFORE MINE WAS SEALED. LONDON, .September 30. The search party to-day recovered 52 bodies from the Wellington colliery at Whitehaven, where the explosion occurred last May. Of these 25 were found together, and the indications are that they died peacefully. Each man had his lamp between his knees, and his water-bottle full. They had apparently come from the .sixth level to nearly opposite the junction of No. 5 level with the main road, where they had met smoke and after-damp. Tw 7 elve other bodies were found in No. 6 level, and 13 in the main dip. One had a scarf over his mouth. As each man's lamp was numbered, it is possible to identify the bodies. Chalked messages which have been seen imply that the entombed miners lived 12 hours after the explosion. Satisfaction is expressed at the fact of the full -water-bottles being untouched, which indicates that the men were overcome long before the intake to the pit was opened on the evening of May 12.