UNDERGROUND.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 142, 18 June 1929, Page 9

UNDERGROUND.

COAL MINERS' ORDEAL STAMPEDE TO SURFACE. MEN BUBIED, BUT SAVED. SOME SLIGHTLY INJURED. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star."') GREYMOUTH, this day. The miners had a most terrifyii.g experience in the earthquake yesterday morning, but not a life was lost, although three men were buried and had to be dug out. There was no loss of life at the Runanga mines, but men underwent a great ordeal. Ac Armstrong and Party's co-operative mine the roof collapsed, but the men had rushed to a place of safety in time. They worked the mine high, and as it is nearly exhausted the men did not think the shaking was an earthquake till afterwards, for they were cooped in a bluff while it lasted. At the Briandale colliery two miners were hurt through running against props. One man at Rewanui mine was slightly injured in the head, and another in the James mine was injured.

The miners all left the mines and staved out for the day.

At the Blackball colliery, where the workings are underground, the pillars moved and the coal crunched in a, terrifying manner. The miners generally thought they were tripped and feared an' explosion might be the cause and that they might never again see daylight. They stampeded towards the surface and emerged white-faced and quivering. It was then discovered that three men had been buried by falling material in the workings, and a number of their comrades lost no time in getting to work to liberate them. This was done quickly, and finally it was reported that all hands were out and safe.

One man was slightly injured through being struck by a piece of coal, but beyond a shaking, which everybody received, there were no worse consequences. It will doubtless take a day or two for the mine to be restored to normal conditions.

The Reefton mines were shaken severely, but nobody was hurt. In the Reefton Company's colliery four men just pot out when the mine collapsed. At the Energetic gold mine seven men. when escaping by way of the shaft, found three feet of water had risen.