A MINE ON FIRE.

Hastings Standard, Issue 424, 13 September 1897, Page 3

A MINE ON FIRE.

AX OUTREAK AT BROKEN HILL

A BAND VOLUNTEER TO FIGHT

THE FLAMES

BUT WERE RAPIDLY OVERCOME WITH THE FUMES.

FIFTY UNCONSCIOUS MEN IN A TEMPORARY HOSPITAL.

WITH ALARMING SYMPTOMS,

THREE MEN FOOD DEAD

(Ver Press Association. —Copyriyht l

Svdnfy, This day. A fire broke out yesterday in the Proprietary Mine, Broken Hill. The fire was definitely located in the ground known as Brodribb's intermediate stopes below the 200 It level, immediately above the 300 ft level.

A large number of men who were acquainted with the mine volunteered for service.

The men who came up from the mine reported that they were unable to reach the seat of the fire owing to noxious fumes from the burningOregan pine. Barriers were constructed, sandbags being used to prevent an extension of the fire, but the work is being carried out under great difficulty, the men being repeatedly overcome. Four doctors are in attendance on the surface, where a temporary hospital has been erected. Over two hundred men are below fighting the fire. Fifty have been removed to the hospital in a half suffocated condition.

The doctors say the symptoms are temporarily alarming, as in some instances the men are almost pulseless, and the strongest stimulants have to be given before relief can be experienced.

The effects are generally felt from fifteen minutes to an hour and sometimes longer. Stuart, the general manager, and Ilorwood, the mine, manager, were prostrated once or twice, but are now better.

Instructions have been issued that no man ouce prostrated is to go below

again. The scenes as the men are being brought up from below and carried from the surface brace to the hospital are most pitiable. Some of the men are in a comatose state, while others are kicking and shouting. The pungent fumes are now spreading, and are coming up more strongly through Stuart's and Darling's shafts, and can be noticed freely down the town. Water fortunately is plentiful, and every means is being utilised to send it below. At a late hour last night the fire continued to gain the mastery, and all the workers were driven out of the 200 ft. level. The fire is very similar to that in Block 11 two years ago, and similar steps arc being taken to combat it. The worst feature has yet to be recorded. About 8 o'clock last night the draught underground was turned, and the 300 ft. level was cleared somewhat of the fumes. This enabled a party to enter the level to see whether anyone was there, as rumors were current that several were missing. The party came on three bodies. Medical examination showed that life had been extinct for seven or eight hours.

The bodies have been identified as William Ivneo (married), William M'Alister (single), and a youth named Uhde, a stranger who volunteered. It is believed that the fire will be confined to the seat of origin. Hopes are entertained that it will be forced up through the bottom of Baxter and Saddler's cut, in which case there is a good possibility of getting it under complete control. The smelters are being shut down, throwing many temporarily out of employment.