MINE DISASTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1928, Page 7

MINE DISASTER.

EXPLOSION IN PIT.

Foul Gases Cause Loss Of Three

Lives. BODIES RECOVERED. (Received 11.30 a.m.) BRISBANE, this day. An explosion at the Redbank Colliery, near Brisbane, entombed three men, Messrs. J. P. Lesfcrangc. managing-director of the property, G. Ho wells, deputy-manager, and j. Marsteller, a member of the staff.

Yesterday was a holiday at the mine, and the three men descended early in the morning on a tour of inspection.

They had not been below long when a terrific explosion occurred, and pieces of the pithead apparatus were hurled high in'to the air. When hundreds of rescuers arrived on the scene they found the explosion had blown up one of the cages and wrecked the working gear of the other.

A miners' rescue brigade, after two hours' work, improvised means of descending the shaft. By that time many hundreds of people r.ati arrived at the pithead and watched the three volunteers descend.

The searchers succeeded in descending the shaft, but 110 hope was held out for the entombed men. When the rescue party reached the bottom of the shaft they commenced digging away the debris in the tunnel. They had succeeded in reaching within 100 yds of the entombed men when the air gave out, the air control apparatus having been blown to pieces in the explosion.

When oxygen cyclinders liad been received below the rescuers continued their efforts and recovered Mr. Lestrange's body. Apparently he .had been killed instantaneously. The explosion was so terrific that crockery in houses a mile from the mine was thrown to the floor.

The remaining two bodies were recovered five yards apart, where the effects of the explosion were worst. Mr. Marsteller was severely burned. The air below was foul and the rescuers had to retreat 011 a couple or occasions. It is believed that the explosion was due to the presence of gas in the workings.

Mr. Lestrange leaves a widow and two children, Mr. Howells widow and two children and Mr. Marsteller a widow and seven children.