HOPE ABANDONED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 281, 20 August 1908, Page 7

HOPE ABANDONED.

. , SEVENTY-SIX COALMINERS ENTOMBED, EXPLOSION AND FIRE. EFFORTS OF THE RESCUE PARTY. (BY TELEGRAM—rRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.) (Rec. August 19, IL4O p.m.) London, August 10. . An explosion has entomber 76 coalminers in No. 1 Maypolo Colliery, Abram, near Wigan. Tho oxlosion destroyed a ventilating drift and a cage, and blew tho timber headgear of tho pit in all directions, somo portions being carried a distance of 200 feet. Clojuds of smoke are issuing from tho shaft, and there are indications that the cannel-coal in tho mine has caught fire, and that there is great danger of the entombed men boing suffocated. Tho repairing of tho fan-house is proceeding rapidly. A rescue party has inoanwhile descended tho Wigan Junction Colliory, half a mile distant, which communicates with No. 2 Maypolo Colliory. They have penetrated several hundred pards towards tho wrecked workings. ' Approaching those, tho air was almost unbreathable. Heavy falls from the roof of tho workings impeded progress. Several doad ponies, and then three dead miners, were found. One of tho miners was terribly mutilated, and was unrecognisable. The rescuers are unable to speak with certainty of the condition of the mine as regards afterdamp, although five members of tho party sufforcd therofrom. It is announced at three o'clock this morning that all hope of rescuing tho entombed men is. abandonod. , I "