DISASTER IN TUNNEL

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 2, 3 July 1922, Page 8

DISASTER IN TUNNEL

SEVEN MEN SUFFOCATED

AT MANGAHAO HYDROELECTRIC

WORKS

BY FUMES FROM BEN2INE

ENGINE

ASSISTANT-ENGINEER AND RES

CUE PARTY SUCCUMB,

News of a tunnel disaster at the Mangahao hydro-electric construction ; works, near Shannon, involving the loss of seven lives was received in Wellington this morning. The Secretary of the G.P.O. received the following' message from,, the postmaster at Shannon:— An accident attended by the loss of seven lives occurred it the Mangahao hyrdo-electric works last night at midnight. Two men were working in a tunnel and were overcome by the fumes from an 'oilengine. Five others went into rescue them, and all were suffocated. The names arc:— F. Birss. and W. Birss (Ute of Arthur's Pass).' B. Butler. F. Graham. P. Graham. ] W. R. Millor (engineer). , A. E. Maxwell. j ATARAPET-. ; The first news received by the Public Works Department this morning was somewhat lacking in detail, owing, no doubt, to, the shock caused by the disaster at the works. It appears, however, that the accident ocourred in No. 2 tunnel, which connects the Arapeti basin, with the headworks of the pipeline overlooking Shannon. This tunnel, a mile and a-quarter long when completed, is being worked by adit« . under several contracts, and has made good progress. The engineer in charge of the work was Mr. •WV R. Miller, who, unfortunately, last his life in the disaster. Among the others who lost their lives were the Boiss brothers, who had the No. 3 contract for this section of the tunnel, and the brothers Graham, of their party. FATE OF RESCUERS. ' The accident occurred at the Arapeti end of the tunnel. What particular purpose the oil engine served is not known at the present moment, but it is presumed it was actuating the pumps for extracting water from the tunnel, which runs down a slight gradient from the upper mouth at the Arapeti end. It is believed that Butler was looking after the engine, and effecting some running repairs, while Maxwell! was the foreman in charge at the time. Maxwell, and Butler were engaged in this repair work from'about 7 o'clock in the evening—an off time oil a Sunday for regular tunnellirig^'Withohe'man'outside attending to the compressor plant, these were the only men at work at the time. The foreman, Maxwell, and the tunneller, .Butler, were so long in the tunnel that the man working the plant got anxious and started to go in, but he smelt the fumes and went back to give the alarm. Then the assistant engineer, Miller, and the brothers Birss and the brothers Graham went in to the rescue of Maxwell and Butler, and were themselves overcome with the fumes, and met the same fate. Further rescue work was attempted, and two other men were so gassed that they had difficulty in getting out alive. They are now reported to be recovering. It was half-past 2 this morning before the bodies could he got out of the tunnel. SOME, OF THE VICTIMS.' Of the victims of the disaster, the late W. R. Miller was the assistantengineer to the District Engineer, Mr. A. Dinnie, who has charge of the whole construction work.. He was a single man, hailing from Dunedin, and a' brother of the Clerk of the Court at Wanganui. Mr. Maxwell was a wellknown Wanganui contractor, aged 55, married, and with a family. He had been at Mangahao some twelve months The Birss brothers "were both expert tunnellers, who had come up from the Otira Tunnel to undertake a contract at Mangahao, under the new system of , construction inaugurated by the Minister last year. The Grahams belonged to the same party. DANGEROUS PETROL FUMES. The disaster is. attributed to the exhaust fumes of a benzine engine. Such fumes in a confined space are extremely dangerous, and men have been known to have been asphyxiated in. garages, where the ventilation iB bad. One of the difficulties of the construction of a road tunnel under tho Hudßpn River in 'New. York is that of ventilation with | tho enormous number of petrol-driven vehicles passing each way. The use of ah internal combustion motor in a mine or tunnel is unusual on account of this difficulty of ventilation. There is a provision in the Mining Act requiring the installation of effective flues for the use of steam engines or i furnaces underground.' „-..■