MINE DISASTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 225, 21 September 1921, Page 5

MINE DISASTER.

22 BODIES FOUND, i NO HOPE FOR THE REST. PITEOUS SCENES AT PIT MOUTH. (Rf Cable.—Tress Association.—Copyright.) (Received 11.30 a.m.l BRISBANE, this day. The Mulligan explosion blew out. the mine tunnel and air shaft simultaneously. Eighteen bodies have so far been identified, including Lieut. Gillies, Latimer, Taylor, Htitton, Eeary. Patterson, Camm. Long, Howes. Adams, Jaekinzik, Carney, Minogue, Yallcm, Liversedge and Thompson. The body of Thompson was brought out on Tuesday morning burnt black, destitute of clothes and hardly recognisable. Tlie charred remains of Carney and Fogarty were also brought up. The only articles of wearing apparel not burnt on the bodies are the boots. Doctor Clarke says that death was instantaneous, aud that victims burnt by flames die immediately from shock. A piteous spectacle presents itself at tho pit mouth, women waiting all night, knowing full well that the chances of their relatives being restored to them alive were hopeless. Men are working in superhuman fashion to get at the buried miners, those relieved passing up tind down like caged tigers, impatient for their next turn. The fcarfttlness of the scene defies description, women and children weeping broken heartcdly and men working frantically to distract their minds from the horror of the disaster. A most inspiring sight was that of brave hearted women whose dead husbands and sons were brought out endeavouring to cheer other bereaved women. They stayed throughout the night at the pit head, making tea to refresh the men and urging them to greater efforts. Birds in cages are being taken below by leaders of the relief gangs to detect the presence of gas. If the birds topple over tho men are warned to retire. A number of the rescuers have agreed to take a rest. They have been working since Monday. Two of the rescuers were brought out badly gassed. The first funeral eVer held at Mulligan took place on Tuesday afternoon, three fanners' wagons being used as hearses, each carrying several coffins. A later message states that twentytwo bodies have now been recovered, the latest identified being Hawes, Melntyre and D. Hutton. The northern side of the tunnel has been fully searched and work is commencing on the southern side. The searchers believe that the last batch of bodies recovered were suffocated as they were found with their faces to the ground, suggesting that they ■were struggling against the fumes.—A. and N.Z. Cable.) GAS FUMES POUR OUT. FEVERISH RESCUE 'WORK. FREQUENT FALLS OF EARTH. BRISBANE, September 20. Twenty-one bodies had been recovered from the Mount Mulligan mine up to this afternoon. The number of men still unaccounted for is believed to be 52. As gas fumes are pouring from the wrecked workings through excavations made-, by the rescuers, little hope is .entertained that tho remainder of the entombed men will be taken out alive. Details of the disaster are difficult to obtain, as the distance of the mine from Brisbane and the limited means of communication render it extremely difficult to obtain a coherent story. It appears that at half-past nino o'clock on Monday morning a series of muffled rumbling explosions shook the whole range of mountains. Tlie news spread of an explosion at the mine, and a rush was made for the entrance, but a steady stream of gas drove the would-be rescuers back, choking them anr making rescue work impossible for the time. Later a number of miners equipped with gas masks arrived from Chillagoe, and rescue work proceeded throughout the night, the men working by moonlight, as the escaping gas made tho use of artificial lights dangerous. All night long gangs of men laboured feverishly clearing away thousands of tons of debris which choked the mouth of the mine. By daylight six bodies had been recovered, and one miner named O'Grady, who was still living, died three hours after being excavated. Two o£ tho dead were identified as Thompson and Bumming." All the bodies were badly charred, and some were unrecognisable. There were indications that the men were killed instantly when at work. By the afternoon 21 bodies had been taken from the wrecked mine. Nearly all were so disfigured as to defy recognition. One body was identified as that of Frank Gillies. The latest message states that the rescuers have not relaxed their efforts, as their hopes of saving some of the buried men are strengthened by the fact that O'Grady was found alive. fas fumes have seriously handicapped ■• work, and the mine supcrintenden ' engineer were removed almost nt '."..c I point of collapse. Frequent falls of earth are occurring, and it is now feared that fire has brbken out in the air line of the workings. Special trains are proceeding from Dimbulah, Mareeba, Cairns, and other centres with volunteer workers. Another special train with coffins has also been dispatched.— (A. and N.Z. Cable.)