THE COALPIT FIRE.

Evening Star, Issue 12866, 16 July 1906, Page 4

THE COALPIT FIRE.

THE MEN RESCUED ALIVE. GALLANT RESCUERS. [Special to the Star.] Alexandra" south, July ie. The work of rescue in the coal mine disaster continued all afternoon on Saturday. Hour after hour passed and steady advance was being made with the rescue work, the reports received from the rescuer* as each in turn emerged from the shaft that they had every hope of reaching the men. The seconds seemed like minutes, the minutes like hours, and the hours like days to those around anxiously awaiting each report, but to those poor unfortunate victims below the long dreary and silent hours experienced by them, is beyond imagination. Numberless

—Heroic Deeds—were performed by the devoted rescuers, many of the volunteers being brought to the surface in a dozed condition. All the miners who knew tbo mine, besides those' from tho Manuherikia and Clyde mines, and even civil tans who had never been down a mine before, stood by and took their turn at different intervale, all being reluctant to come up from below when their ‘names were called, —The Fire Under Control.—

At 6 p.m. tho fire was properly under control, and the dense smoke bad lessened considerab'y. The rescuers were now able to stay down a, longer period, and word was sent up that two of them had got past tho fire, but feeling themselves being overcome with heat and black damp they were compelled to retract their steps, and were sent to the surface. As a rescuer was hauled up practically insensible others were ready to go below, heedless of the fact that they t too would probably be hauled up in the came condition as their brother workers. It was about 8 p.m. that tho —Long Looked-for News—that the men had been seen arrived at the pit’s mouth, and from that time the vast assemblage of awe-stricken people raised their hopes that the men would not be long m being brought from the place in which every moment had eowly passed over their heads, and where they had suffered a long period of suspense and fear. It was an anxious time for' the relatives, but they bore it bravely. Exactly at 8.50 p.m. the

—First Man was Hauled up, and he was soon recognised as King, one of the entombed men. Ho was insensible, but under Dr Gregg’s attendance he soon regained consciousness, and was able to direct the rescuers to where his comrades were. Half am hour afterwards Keane was brought up in a similar condition as King, and Churchill was not long after hauled to the surface. It took some time to find Bruce, but he was at last found, lying in water face downwards. One of the rescuers, John Lythgoe, was then reported to be missing, and on a search being made he was found where he had fallen in helping to rescue King. One by one the rescuers returned to the surface from their arduous and heroic work, and when the last man set foot on top (shortly after 10 p.m.) the whole crowd gave vent to their feelings of joy at once more having all their friends, comrades, and relatives amongst, them.

—Cheer after Cheer—went up from those assembled, hut even then they did not leave, and anxious inqmr’cs were made as to the progress of the victims - towards recovery. The men were in a very serious condition, and it took same time to bring them, round, but they rapidly progressed under the care of Dr Gregg, who had remained on the scene all day in attendance. Nourishment of all kinds was at hind, and wa« provided by a number of ladies, ■who from early morning had waited at the scene of the disaster to provide eatables and refreshments to the large number of willing and —Brave Rescuers, — who untiringly and unceasingly worked for the rescue of the four unfortunate victims of the most dreaded disaster. Under the doctor's instructions the men wore not allowed to be shifted during Saturday night, and everything possible was done to make them comfortable till the morrow. It was lone after midnight before the crowd took their departure, and as tliey all wended their way home the expressions of “ Thank God, they are saved ” could he heard from airport evervone. On Sunday morning the men had sufficiently recovered to enable them to be driven to their respective homes. King and Keano have recovered, and are little the worse for their experience, Churchill and Bruce are rapidly recovering, but Lythgoe is still under treatment, although he is progressing favorably. It is utterly impossible to express in words sufficient praise to all those who worked so bravely to rescue tho entombed men, and many —Heroic Deeds—were shown by the courageous rescuers as they dfi'oended at the risk of their lives from time to time into the depths of tho burning earth in their efforts to recover the men from their dangerous and fearful captivity. Offers .of heln were received and accepted from the Bannockburn Collieries Company, and a dozen men were sent down to aid the rescue. Tliey arrived on the scene just ae the men were being brought up, and some immediately went be’ow to relieve others. It is a day never to be forgotten in Alexandra, and an experience the men will carry for ever in their minds. Inspector Green, of the Mines Depart-nr-nt, arrived by the late train in Alexandra at 1 am. on Sunday morning, and on his arrival at Omakau he received word that three of the men had been saved. To--day a con'xdtation is to be held to whether thev will open the mine. It is likely this will be done, and Mr Green will make an inspection of the mine as soon as the foul air and poisonous gases escape. The Minster for Mines wired Mr Green expressing his deep sympathy with the disaster, and to spare no expense in rescuing the men. Chatting with several rescuers they expressed their opinions that it was —Like a Furnace — down 'below. The air was not so bad at the pit bottom, but as they proceeded in the drives the air became worse. The fire was raping for about a chain in from the pit bottom, and the rides and floor of the drive were red. The eng'ne below wag red hot, and where the water was first turned on the smoke was suffocating and the —H"at Unbearable.— Men were laid out i«n all directions overtaken by, the intense heat, and as they would not give in they were knocked over one after another. The men were found all lying in water, about five chains from the bottom of tbs shaft. Attempts were at first made to carry the men out on the backs of the rescuers, but owing to the uneven floor of the drives this was a matter of difficulty, and eventually they had to be —Dragged Out.—

In one pi nee there was a ledge nine feet high, and this had to be negotiated. Whilst four of the rescuers were bringing out one of the men all became exhausted and fell over locked in each other’s arms. One of the men even floated along in the water for over a chain, and by the time the pit bottom was reached most of the clothes were dragged off the men. THE ENTOMBED MEN INTERVIEWED. In an interview with King, he stated: “We understand that the fire broke out between three and four o’clock. Churchill, the shift boss, went forward to see to the pump, and found the pit on fire. Ho came back to the face and gave us the alarm, and yelled to us to ‘come for our lives.’ We made for the shaft, and I think got within & few feet of it, but were driven back by the fierce heat. We found we could do nothing with the fire. We then barricaded ourselves off from it. We then disconnected the pump pipe, and tried to get communication with the surface, but could not make ourselves heard. We beard knocks on the pipe, and replied, but we could hear no voices. We quite realised that everything that could be done would be done to effect our rescue. Our only fears were that the main shaft would col'.

Japse. We knew the way the rescuing party would try to come. One of our party took it in turns to try and find an outlet in that direction. After we thought that the fire had' apparently been subdued we decided to go in the direction together, where we expected rescue. The smoke and damp were very bad. Kane was the first to collapse. We left him with directions to keep his head close to the water; and hold on for his life. Churchill and Bruoe collapsed: in turn. I struggled on, and ran against Hunter, and could just tell him the others were just behind. I remember no more till coming to with friends all round me.”

Churchill, the' deputy in charge of the shift, discovered the fire at 4.15, ard found the pump chamber on fire. He crawled in * 8 ?° w^ere to W ’“W 5 > and got within 7yds of the shaft. The heat was so intense ho no further. Ho went down to the dip to the men, who, under his guidance, built brattices across the dip to imprison an area of good air, and also to keep the smoke and bad air out. They examined these stoppings from time to time to see that they did not leak. King was the first man taken out, ard then Kane. By this time the miners from Bannockburn, under their own manager, Mr Qillanders, arrived. The local men were well all done, and by the timely arrival of the Bannockburn men good work was done and quickly at the rescue of the remaining two, A RESCUER’S ACCOUNT. Mr Andrew Hunter, manager for Messrs Mathias Bros, and Co.’s coal mine, who has had considerable experience in coal mining not only in the colonies but in the Home Country, displayed great bravery, and was untiring in his efforts to save the men, finally being out insensible, and it was some time before he pulled round. He granted me an interview this morning, and narrated his experiences as follows" When I first arrived at the scene of the disaster I saw Mr Pollock, the manager, and offered him my assistance, and he said he was pleased to receive it. Mr PoikxSk told me that the difficulty was (o get -some person to make a start with the erection of a screen down "below to cany on the ventilation. Mr Pollock went down the pit, and I followed. He explained what no wanted done. I commenced the work of screening up with bags along with Mr Simons, and when it was partly finished Mr Simons drew my attention to the fire breaking out behind me. We got the hose, and soon put it out, and after drowning out the fire and taking the hose away a slight rush of black damp came, and I received the contents. After recovering I watched the upcast, _ to see that no more fire broke out. Mr Smith (manager of the Clyde collieries), Mr Pollock, and myself held a con. sulfation and wo went over the plan of the mine. Mr Smith went below and carried on the work of rescue. When ho returned we held another consultation, and he showed on the plan how far he had advanced, with the screening. Mr Pollock informed us that if that place waa screened off our passage to the men would b© clear. I went below and got to where Mr Smith had left off, and found the screen had been rolled up. A great rush of fresh air immediately followed, and cleared away the black damp and smoke. Air Lythgoe was with me, and when the smoke cleared I asked him to show me tno way. Mr Fisher joined ua, and the three of ns went on and advanced without any effects of bad air. Mr Lythgoo said that if we could get along another two ehams wc would be able to reach the men. Ac proceeded on until Mr Lythgoo told us we had arrived in the main dip, and as soon as lie said this we heard a great yell in front of ua, and knew it came irom the men. They were b.hind a screen. 1 opened the screen, and, found Messrs Mr King s<ang out, and Messrs Bruce ’S.nd Koane came up, and noth seemed to be affected with black damp. We agreed to join hands and hold on, and in this way the seven of us turned, and made for the shaft the Mine way we had come. All uent well until we had gone three-parts of the journey, when I thought that the ventilation had changed, as we met a quantity ox black damp and smoke, and if ever. X got a fright it was at that moment. We jversoverod on when our lamps went out, and w© got into the darkness, wus eery unfortunate, as wc were making creat headway. We fixed our lights, and made a fresh start. Just then Mr Lythgoe fell and Mr King next went down. I then discovered that the screen I had put up was down, and the smoko and damp were ooming through. I pulled Messrs Lythgoo and King out of the wutor, and put thorn on a bank of dross. X looked back, and saw tha others were safe, as far as drowning was concerned, although they had all fallen. Mr Pishc-r was standing up,* Showing mo the way with his light. By this time I had not sufficient strength to put up tho screen again, and I started to go where the good air was, as I saw the reflection of lights. I had only gone a few yards when a falling set of timber struck my head. Down I wont, and I remember no more. When I first went down the mine I had little hope of ever oeeing the men rescued alive, but after seeing Mr Pollock’s idea of carrying out the rescue work my hopes wore raised. When Mr Smith flirt came up and said he had got as far as the stable I had greater hopes than over, and calculating the progress that was being made I reckoned wo would reach the men about four o’clock on Sunday morning, but, of course, I did not know the mine. As to heat, I oould not explain it, for it was something awful, and I must say Messrs Lytbreo and Fisher arc deserving of great praise for their bravery in advancing into the heart of the mine. Of course. I did not know many of the other rescuers, who all worked heroically. One thing I am pleased to say, and that is that although I have been in other rescue parties I have never before seen people so willing’ to go down jn face of the awful scene below. One man would be taken up insensible, and there would be three to take his place. The heroism is beyond my power of explaining, and it was’a scene never to,be forgotten.”