MINE EXPLOSION

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 100, 22 January 1926, Page 9

MINE EXPLOSION

IN NEWCASTLE DISTRICT

MANY MEN INJURED

TWO BELIEVED TO BE ENTOMBED

By Telegraph—Press Association. Copyright. (Rec. January 21, 11.5 p.m.) Sydney, January 21. An explosion in the Redhead colliery, near Belmont, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle district, injured twenty men. It is rumoured that two men. are entombed. Most of those injured are badly burned. There are no details of the accident. —Press Assn. ONE MAN KILLED ELEVEN INJURED (Rec. January 22, 0.5 a.m.) Sydney, January 21. Later details of the explosion state that one man was killed and eleven injuied. The explosion occurred about a mile from the surface, in a tunnel line. It caught-the men unawares, and was followed by fire, but later that was soon extinguished, though not before the miners were badly, burned. One of the survivors described their experiences when the explosion occurred as being thrown about like corks. He believed the explosion was followed by a fall of coal. The first indication at the pithead of the disaster was a telephone message: "Come down quickly; there has been an unusual burst of air.” By the time assistance from the surface came, the seat of the explosion had been located and recuers were getting to work. They found William Riley killed and eleven others badly injured, all suffering . from burns; Riley was found lying in one of the old workings, some distance from the other men. The rumour that two men were entombed has not been confirmed. Details are very meagre.

When the news of the explosion was conveyed to the mine office the mine manager, Mr. Fallons, pluckily descended the mine to search for the injured.—Press Assn.