MINE DISASTER.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 18 November 1929, Page 7

MINE DISASTER.

MANY HEROIC ACTS. FATHER SAVES SON. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, Nov. 16. Considering the nature of the mining disaster at Ohai on Friday, when three lives were lost, and considering the alarming difficulty of the rescue work, there were many acts that must rank as heroic, and many sights that were terrifying and yet extremely pathetic. The love of a father for his son was courageously typified when ian old miner who had 'been working in a nearby shaft rushed into the inferno of smoke and dust in search of his son, who had been stationed at the bottom of the shaft. Some time later he was seen crawling up the trolley track on his hands and knees with the younger man slung across his shoulder. Such a feat required great strength and power of will. That was an outstanding one of the many instances which passed practically unnoticed among the turmoil of the rescue work.

Many men who were brought to the surface after the explosion had made it practically impossible to live in the main shaft were speechless on account of the effect of gas, yet they did pot wait to recover fully before joining the the rescuers. Burns gave terrible pain out on open ground where the injured were uncovered from the driving snow and sleeet which fell incessantly, and the long truck ride to the offices and the ambulance was torture to the more seriously injured ones. When found, John Chamberlain, whose condition is very serious as a result of extensive burns, was a living torch. His shirt and upper garments were blazing freely and had the rescuers been a few moments later they would not have been able to save his life.

It is remarkable that there was not more loss of life. The explosion occurred about half-way down the shaft, so that those who were working at the end were completely blocked from the head of the mine. They alone realise what ft was to feel their way carrying and assisting their injured comrades along the trolley rails through the thick, suffocating fumes. Such an ordeal as th© men engaged in rescue work went through is one never likely to be forgotten. Robert Ross, who .was seriously burned about the face and hands, had a fortunate escape from graver injuries. He was working alongside Antonio McCoy, and left his mat© to obtain a drill when the disaster occurred The full force of the explosion was centred on the spot where Ross had been working a moment before, and his mate was killed instantly.