MINE TRAGEDY IN AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 121, 16 February 1937, Page 9

MINE TRAGEDY IN AUSTRALIA

Terrific Explosion

HOPE FOR ENTOMBED MEN

ABANDONED

By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.

(Received February 15, 5.5 p.m.)

Melbourne, February 15.

A terrific explosion occurred at teu o’clock this morning in No. 20 shaft of the State coal mine at Wontbaggi. Twelve, possibly 13, men are trapped in the mine 190 feet underground and there is little hope of rescue. The force of the explosion drove the cage 150 feet up the shaft to the poppet-head and this was followed by a cloud of dust, smoke and fumes which rose 100 feet into the air. Part of the shaft collapsed. The majority of the men employed at the mine were attending a stopwork meeting in the town. When the news was received the meeting disbanded hurriedly and fire brigades, ambulance men and miners rushed to the pit head to aid their comrades. As the news spread women left their homes and children schools to form tearful and anxious groups while rescuers sought to find the extent of the disaster. The cause so far is not known, but it is easily the biggest disaster in the history of the Wontbaggi field.

The mine manager, Mr. J. MeLeish, the underground manager. Mr. T. Johnson and one volunteer, wearing gas masks, descended in the cage and discovered that the entrance to the tunnel where the men were supposed to be was completely blocked with debris. There was no sign of foul air. A later message states that all hope for the entombed men has been abandoned. Mine officials announce that If the men were not killed by the explosion they must have died shortly afterward from carbon monoxide poisoning. No Irndies have yet been recovered.