FIVE DEAD

Evening Star, Issue 23727, 7 November 1940, Page 8

FIVE DEAD

GHASTLY MINE DISASTER TERRIFIC EXPLOSION WINCH HOUSE AND CAEIH BLOWN 100 YARDS [I’Ll; United Pit ess Association.] GREYMOUTH, November G. Five of the seven men employed at the Kaye and party’s co-opera-tive mine, 10 miles from Greymouth on the road to Westport, are dead as the result of an explosion in the mine at 9.30 this morning. The two other employees of the mine suffered shock, burns, and the effects of gas. The killed are; JOHN KAYE, son. (56), married, miner, of Dunollie; four children other than JOHN KAYE, juu. (30), single, winchnnin. UNDO COLPO (45), married, with throe children in Italy, miner, of Runanga. FREDERICK LLEWELLYN WILLIAMS (27), married, miner, of Ten Mile. ’ ALEXANDER MTNTOSH (52), married, no children, mine manager, of Greymouth. The injured are Adam Boote, jun. (29), married, with three children, of Runanga; William Burnett (31), married, miner, of Cobden. Both were admitted to Grey Hospital and are progressing satisfactorily. The disaster, which cast gloom over the whole district, is the worst experienced on the West Coast since the Dobson mine explosion in 1926, when nine were killed. The employees at the Briandale mine, which is situated on the opposite side of Ten Mile Creek, heard a deafening explosion, and a tongue of flame, estimated to be 150 ft long, shot from the mouth of the drive of Kaye’s mine. The blast was of terrific force, the winch house and another hut at the mine mouth being blown to pieces, some being carried over 100 yards down the gully. Trees in the vicinity were stripped of leaves and branches, and a sheet of corrugated iron wrapped itself around a tree 30yds away from the mine mouth.

Kaye, jun., was employed driving the ■winch at the mine mouth, and apparently was inside the winch house when the explosion occurred. His body was found almost 100yds down the gully with the debris of the winch house. Heath had been instantaneous.

The other men involved in the disaster were actually in the mine when the explosion occurred. The two injured men were able to walk some distance out of the mine, this being one of the most remarkable features of the explosion. One of the first on the scene of the disaster after the alarm was given was the district inspector of coal mines, Mr \V. Parsonage. When he was about 50yds from the mine mouth Burnett staggered out, blackened and exhausted. He said that Bopte had assisted him part of the way up the drive, but then dropped. Mr Parsonage ran into the mine with a carbon monoxide detector and lamp, and had proceeded about two chains when ho heard a voice a few yards further down the dip. Guided by the voice, he found Boote seriously affected by gas and shock in a stentou off the dip. The inspector called two other men, who carried a stretcher into the mine and brought Boote out to Dr E. H. Densem, of Eunanga, who had already made Burnett as comfortable as possible for his journey to hospital. RESCUE PARTY. After that a party from the Dobson rescue station, comprising trained men from tho various district mines, under Frank Duffy, arrived, and, donning full rescue equipment, entered the mine to investigate the possibilities of reaching the four men known to be still in the workings. Working in teams of five under Duffy’s personal direction, the rescue brigade was having its first big test since the establishment at Dobson station. The men made a thorough investigation of the mine,# travelling through the smoky, blackened working for a distance of about 10 chains to the face. ALL BEYOND AID. Other willing helpers on the surface awaited their return for news of the men still underground, and at about 12.45 p.m. the party returned with the news that they had been able to reach tho men, and had found that all were beyond aid. There wore- no falls of coal or stone in the mine, and the small fires had burnt themselves out by this time, so that there was no great difficulty in bringing the bodies to the surface. MTntosh’s body was brought out at 1.30 p.m., and the others shortly afterwards. Rigor mortis had set in, indicating asphyxiation some hours previously. Two were found almost at the bottom of the drive and the others about two chains nearer the surface. The co-operative mines in the vicinity ceased work immediately, and many willing helpers joined in the difficult task of carrying the bodies down the jig near tho mine with a steep gradient. By means of the Briandale mine locomotive it was possible to transport tho bodies to within 50yds of the highway. The severity of the explosion may bo gathered from the fact that tho bodies of the four men had the woollen working singlets singed off them, their heads and faces being burned. All were in a crouched position when found.

VENTILATION SYSTEM DESTROYED. The difiiculties of the rescue operations were increased by the fact that the ventilation system had been destroyed by the explosion. Although it is not possible to define the cause of the explosion until a full investigation is made, it is thought that the disaster was caused by an explosion of carburetted hydrogen (fire damp) propagated with the coal dust. The mine hud been .operating for three years, no gas having been experienced previously. It was the smaller typo of mine, the only other employee being Norman Pattinson (1G). horsedriver, who was 150 ft below the mine mouth when the explosion occurred.

M'lntosh came from Murchison to manage the mine earlier this year. Colpo commenced work last week, and Burnett only yesterday. Williams cams from Christchurch a few months ago. The inquest will be opened in the morning for evidence of identification, MINISTER SHOCKED PROCEEDING TO SCENE TO-DAY WELLINGTON, November 6. The first information lie received of the mining disaster on the West Coast was conveyed to the Minister of Mines (Mr Webb) in an urgent telephone message from the Director-General or the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr J. G. Young, who had been advised by the postmaster in Greymouth that a serious explosion had taken place at Kaye’s mine at about 9 o'clock, but that no details were then available. Accompanied by the chief inspector of mines, Mr G. Duggsvn« the Minister will leave Wellington to-morrow morning for the West Coast. He said that, needless to say, the news of the disaster came to him as a great shock, for he had known a number of the men involved over a long period of years, and he questioned if a better or more experienced miner could be found in New Zealand than Mr Kaye. sen.. “The explosion must have been terrific.” Mr Webb said to-night, “as it blew out all the ventilating stoppings and destroyed the fan.' and tlms prevented ventilation. The rescue brigade will enter the mine again to-morrow morning for the nnrnose of adjr r * ; ng the ventilation, which has to be fb>ne bv natural means in the meantime.”