RESCUERS' STORIES

Evening Post, Volume 55, Issue 55, 3 September 1923, Page 6

RESCUERS' STORIES

TRAGIC STRUGGLE AGAINST GAS;

(Received 3rd September, 8 a.m.)

SYDNEY, This Day. Ono of the rescuers, William Hughes, of Bellbird, stated, that he first noticed smoke issuing from the mine, and went down the travelling tunnel. Ho found four dead men, and with the aid of others these bodies were brought to the surface. (He returned again to the pit, and his party found nine men and three horses, all dead. The circumstances under which they were found indicated that all the men had news of '• their danger and were trying to reach safety by hanging on to the harness of the horses. Eight of the dead men found had their faces on the ground, as if in an effort to save themselvps. The ninth was sitting with his arms folded and his head hanging down. Another rescuer stated that he was at an hotel wh'en the news of the disaster reached him. He immediately went to the mine and went down, and in the tunnel met Tennant Eake, and Wilson, all deputies. Wilson was suffering from the fumes, and had to be helped to the surface. PRESSING ON TO THEIR PATE. Noble was also suffering from the fumes, but with another pressed on. Later his companion had to return, but Noble continued on his way. Afterwards a search was made for him, but he could not be found, the fumes being vci'y bad. Another .party! found four more bodies, which were later carried out. Mr. Brown, managhr of the Abcrdare Colliery, who was also searching for bodies, found two, and said to a companion, "Do not go any further j one live man is better than ten dead men," but he went on, and found six miners and three wheelers, and three horses, all dead. Brown then ordered his companion back to the office to tell them not to allow any more men down tha mine, but to send stretchers. Mr., Jeffries, manager of the Abermain Collieries, who organised rescue operations until the arrival of the manager, said he met Brown going down the travelling tunnel, where they found nine dead men. Then he suggested that all hands be taken back to the surface and that the rescue work should be systematised. This was agreed to, and at 60 clock in the evening volunteers were called, and two parties were formed to carry out the bodies. ' BATTERING A WAY OUT. Shortly after Mb party went into the mine again, two distinct explosions occurred between them and the surface, and their retreat, was cut off by poisonous gas. The party therefore' divided into two. One party went through the old workings to reach the surface. They came to a brick stopping-place, and with pocket knifes scraped away the plaster and used an old sleeper as a battering ram. By this time all were feeling the effects of the fumes, and their strength was failing; but by working in shifts they managed to break through. Brown became exhausted, and 'had to be dragged along by the man "Marshall, who was also very weak. Brown managed to gasp out to the man to do his | best he could for himself and leave him. Marshall groped his way along I but became lost, and shortly afterwards lost control of his actions. The next I thing he kneiy was that he heard the

shouts of the party, and they rescued him. ■ -.;.... ■■ ■ ,

During the night a number of explosions occurred in the mine, one of which damaged the fandrift buildings. ;

THE TOTAL DEATH ROLL.

The number killed is twenty-one. A revised list of the names shows that the bodies recovered were those of William Griffin, Charles Mills, Gordon Locking, Alfred Hynes, John Stewart, Jack Graham, George Robertson, and Kelly. The bodies of six scaled in the mine include those of Wilkie, Hartley, and Frederic Fone. Six hundred miners have been rendered idle by the sealing of the mine.