COLLIERY DISASTER

Evening Star, Issue 22954, 11 May 1938, Page 9

COLLIERY DISASTER

EXPLOSION IN ENGLISH MINE LARGE NUMBER TRAPPED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, May 10. An explosion which occurred in Matkham colliery, Duckmanton, as the night shift of 200 men was coming to the surface, entrapped 123 men and injured an unknown number, 35 of whom were taken to hospital. A second explosion at 8 a.m. led to a decision to seal up the section of the pit. Rescue brigades rushed to the scene, and 60 stretchers were taken to the bottom of the pit. TWENTY DEATHS HARROWING SCENES AT PITHEAD. , LONDON, May 10, The death roll is 20. Sixty are still entombed, and 49 are in hospital. A rescue team of 100 equipped with tubes of oxygen is working desperately, aided by some of those who have been rescued.' Sobbing women and girls crowd the pithead, including Mrs Grainger, whose husband, son, and two brothers-in-law are below. The husband narrowly escaped in the 1937. explosion, when nine were killed. DEATH ROLL MOUNTING LONDON, May 10. (Received May 11, at 10 a.m.) The Markham colliery death roll is 72, including Mrs Grainger’s son. The bodies are so disfigured that only one has hitherto been identified. SERVICE AT PITHEAD PATHETIC VIGIL. LONDON, May 10. (Received May 11, at 1.30 p.m.) With 45 of the 72 dead still entombed in the galleries at the Markham Colliery, the Bishop of Derby tonight held a service at the pithead. Some women and children have been at the pithead 12 hours, hoping against hope. Among l the dead are a father and three sons. Some of those rescued could not remember anything after the explosion. Others were so dazed that they could not remember their names.

STATEMENT IN COMMONS CAUSE TO BE INVESTIGATED., : r> (British Official Wireless.) (RUGBY, May 10. (Received May 11, at 1 p.m.) A statement on the Markham Colliery disaster was made in the House of Commons by the Secretary for Mines, Captain H. F. Crookshank, who said the explosion occurred in the vicinity of the coal face shortly before 6 o’clock, when the night shift was leaving the mine. Captain Crookshank added that an investigation into the cause of the disaster would proceed with all speed. The House would join with him in expressing deep sympathy with the families and friends of those who so tragically lost their lives. The miners’ representative, Mr J. Batey, Labour member, in associating the Opposition with the Minister’s sympathy, suggested that when the public inquiry took place some independent person should be invited to preside. The usual practice was for a Government inspector to preside at such inquiries, but Mr Batey said he wished to make no reflection on the latter, but made the suggestion as the means of giving the public confidence that all the facts relating to the explosion would he available for more active steps to find a way of preventing these explosions in coal mines. Captain. Crookshank noted the suggestion. NOW SEVENTY-NINE LONDON, May 10. (Received May 11, at 1 p.m.) The Markham death, roll is 79.