DISASTROUS FIRE

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 February 1947, Page 2

DISASTROUS FIRE

MACHINERY LOST AT OHAI COAL MINE HELPER SERIOUSLY INJURED (P.A.) . „ INVERCARGILL, This Day. Production of coal at the Linton Company’s Ohai mine has b een stopped for an indefinite period because of extensive damage done by fire which swept the winch-house and other buildings late on Sunday night. In spite of the efforts of employees and local residents, mucn valuable machinery was destroyed. Two firefighters were injured when the blazing roof of the elevating belt, under which they were working, collapsed on top of them. Edward Connell O’Halloran, aged 33, of Nightcaps, was severely injured, and was admitted to the Southland Hospital. O’Halloran, a min^ r > began work- only on Saturday morning after an absence of three y eai . s because of illness. Andrew Colligan, of Nightcaps, mine suffered slight injuries. The fire started about 11 p.m., and by 11.30 p.m. the buildings, which were about a mile and a half from the head of the pit, were blazin b fiercely. The heat of the S stored in one of the sheds and the bursting drums endangered the fives of those near the fire. A water supply was drawn from the v\ airaiu mine stream two or three chains away, but in spite of efforts to gei it under control, the fire raged foi several hours. . y,-.,—, The winch and the winch-house and most of the other gear were destroyed. The weighbridge was also lost, but the screens and elevating belt, which were in the same house, were saved. A gang began work o Monday morning clearing up in debris. - , , „ „_, + The cause of the outbreak has n been ascertained, but the fi re P r °" bably began on the loading P latfoi m or in the boiler-house, which is Deside the platform. . . The pit head is on one siae ot a valley about a mile wide, an £ screens are on the other side, in , e no fire in the coal seam.