PIT ACCIDENT HEROISM

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 August 1932, Page 10

PIT ACCIDENT HEROISM

CLIMB OUT OF SHAFT.

CIIESTER-LE-STREET, July 2

An act of heroism described as marvc l.'ous and inconceivable was revealed at the inquest at Chester-le-Street tonight on Robert Ashmore Redpath. under-manager, Christopher Thompson, chief horsekeeper, and Thomas Foster, storekeeper, ail of Pelton Fell, who were killed in a cage accident at Pelton Feb Colliery.

When the cage became caught on a girder in the shaft a master shifter, named David York, \ of Pelton Fell, who was in tho cage with throe victims, climbed out of the shaft by means of a pipe to get help. He managed to knot a piece of cable round the cage in an attempt to secure it, and to telephone for help, but before anything could be done the cage, with the three men in it crashed to the bottom of the shaft.

In his evidence York said he did not know how he managed to make the ascent. The other men in the cage could not make a similar attempt for fear that the cage would be upset. He tried to keep up the men’s courage by telling them that assistance was coming.

Mr. M. H. Killett, agent to the colliery company, addressing York, said: ‘‘lt is inconceivable how you managed to do what you did. That you were not successful in your efforts was a tragedy.” t

A verdict of accidental death was returned.