FEARFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION IN OTAGO.

Manawatu Herald, Volume i, Issue 52, 25 February 1879, Page 2

FEARFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION IN OTAGO.

Thirty-four Lives Lost.

(cosn?rr,BO rnojr press agency bkport.)

On Friday morning last a fearful colliery accident took place at tho Kaitanoata mine, in Otago, through the explosion of gas, rasnlting in the death of 34 persons, all of whom, excepting two lads, were able-bodied men.

Kaitangata is about 40 miles south of Dunedin, and is a few miles from the mouth of the Clutha River, being 1 situated also ne&r its northern bank. Several coal mines are at work there, and the Great South Line of Bailway runs through the district. It appears that about 9 o'clock on Friday morning a dull, long report jras heard by the men working a short distance from the mouth of the pit, and by the residents of the township. A cloud of dust followed the report. The flight of sticks and stones at the time of the explosion was tremendous, and a thick green smoke like a London fog hung like a pall over the tunnel mouth for about ten minutes. It was this smoke, more than the noise of the report, which attracted general attention. The air was veiy calm at the time the machinery stopped, and a rush was made for the pit. In a few minutes nearly everyone in the township was at the mouth of the mine, where a heartrending scone took place, mothers and children filling the air with cries and lamentations. A boy named Edward Dunn, who w.ts at tho time entering the drive with a horse, was blown a distance of 150 feet, and died in five minutes. The consternation of those who had husbands and sons in the mine will therefore ba understood. The air in the mine was so bad that even Davy safety lamps were extinguished by it. A party of four men, however — Messrs W. Bhore (manager of the adjoining mine), J. Snore, M. Hennessy, and J. Muir—went in to explore the mine, and found jtboQt 200 yards along tho main drive the body of another lad named Charles M'Donald. As he and the boy.who was killed outside were the ;only two who received any fractures, it is supposed that he was blown some distance.

The mine is entered by a drive or tunnel. The workings rise as they penetrate the hill, so that while the mino can be WOYked advantageously as regards the putting out of coal, and facilities of drainage, the fall, which carries out water 'rtnd a'vla haulage of coal, causes foul air to acoumuhte in the upper end of the miae. The ventilation has to travel all x-ound the mine and come back to tho air shaft, which is situate at a poiut about 150 yards from tho mouth of the mine. The workings extend back about s' lo yards from the entrance, and 350 yards jfro'n the air shaft. It appears the gas has been increasing a good deal lately in tho mino, and several small explosions of firo-damp have lately takon plaoe, but these were liablo to happen at alntost any time, and no fear of general danger was appre-' hended, so far as they were concerned. There was a slight explosion on the Thursday night in the mine when the men were employed on the night shift. The matter was reported in due cou on Friday morn* ing to the foreman, why considered that the mine was in good working ord9r. His [ name was Beardsmore, and he paid for his [error of judgment with his life and the [ lives of five of his relatives. The present surmise among | those who know best is that Archibald Hodge, manager of the mine, was in the waste workings in the. highest part of the mine, where the fault is, when the explosion occurred. It is supposed that ho was making an inspection, and that his light caused the explosion. The greater part of the miuers were killed to all appearances by the explosion itself. They had escaped the firedamp and were making for the mouth of tho miue when they were overpowered by the afterdamp, as the miners call the foul atmos. phere which remains after an explosion. Some of thoin must have run from one to two hundred yards before they fell. At one point thirteen bodies were found in one neap. The greater number of men were found about 300 yards in front of the month. The men worked with naked bodies. They all carried tho usual anvill collier's lamp upon the peak of their oftps.. Air was first got into the workings about 3 o'clock in tho afternoon, and it took half an hour after that to drive out the fonl atmosphere before the rescuers could make any progress iv exploring. The men worked hard, perseveringly, and continuously, with eneigy, from ihe timo of the explosion to get the foul air turned out, but owing to what is called the brathee an<l the air stopping having been blown out, they could not do much for some time, although numerous tradesmen in the town and men not mil era working ia the locality boldly entered into the mine, and assisted the few miners. The want of skilled men was greatly felt ; but few miners remained alive in Kaitangata after this dreadful occurrence, the day shift being the main shift, only four or live men Working at night. Every kindness was shown to the bereaved by the pjople of the town' aliip.