TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN ARAPETI TUNNEL.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2166, 4 July 1922, Page 7

TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN ARAPETI TUNNEL.

Two Men Overcome By Gas Fumes, Five Others Sacrifice Their Lives. !n Heroic [fort To Rescue Comrades. Bright and clear, there stands out from the details of a dreadful tragedy at the Mangahao Hydro-Electric Works a record of extraordinary bravery. In the tunnel being driven into the Tararuas from the Arapeti basin seven men lost their lives in the dark hours of Sunday night. Five of these men went to their deaths in an effort to rescue two of their comrades. The tunnel, owing to a break-down in the ventilating apparatus, became charged with a deadly gas, principally a mixture of carbon monoxide and dioxide, caused by the exhaust from a gasolene engine operating the waterpumps. Two men were known to be in the tunnel, and five men, who knew the deadly nature of the fatal gas only too well, went instantly to the rescue—and their own deaths. Volunteers to rescue the rescuers came forward unhesitatingly. Two of these were seriously gassed and are now in the Palmerston North Hospital. The victims were:— William Robert Miller, engineer in charge of the Arapeti section of the works. Albert Ernest Maxwell, tunnel foreman, of the firm of Maxwell and Mann, Wanganui. Frederick J. Birss, tunneller, and his son, William Birss. Phillip Graham, tunneller, and his brother, Frederick Graham, tunneller. Bernard Butler, pump attendant, parents residing at Shannon. THE INVALIDS. The two men in hospital, who were reported last night to be making good recoveries, are H. E. Kinze A, tunnel foreman, supervising a shift other than Mr Maxwell’s, and 0. Trigg, attendant at the electrical sub-station. 111-effects from the fumes were suffered by a number of other workers who participated in the rescue, but their condition did not warrant removal to the hospital, and they have since thrown off their indispositions. A CAMP OF GLOOM. The whole camp has been plunged in the profoundest gloom. All the men were known well in the cameraderie that prevails on the work and the seven deaths in such tragic circumstances were a severe blow to all those whose lives are cast for a brief period in the little township away up in the stern surroundings of the Tararuas. Work has ceased at the camp for a week. The seven bodies lie in the Y.M.C.A, nut, where an inquest will be opened to-day. This same Arapeti tunnel is the one in which Alexander Murdoch was killed and Michael Lynch was blinded for life by an explosion twelve months ago. Arapeti is a Lasin in the bills. "which is to ho converted into a storage lake supplied from the Mangahao River by a tunnel mulei the hills. Another tunnel—-that in which the disaster occurred—is to take the water from the Arapeti lake under the outside range to the generating station on the Shannon side. From the Arapeti side the* tunnel has heen driven in 31 chains. Water pours through the sides and top unceasingly, and it is only by unremitting pumping that the work can he carried on. For this purpose a benzine engine, which Is now 27 chains from the entrance, is rim without intermission. Another problem, and one which is accentuated by the presence of the benzine engine in the tunnel, is the air supply. This is maintained by suction, created by electric energy from the power-house, through ft shaft leading up to the face. "When the foul air at the head is withdrawn a draught of pure air from the mouth of the tunnel is caused. At 8 o’clock on Saturday evening work ceased, as usual, until midnight on Sunday, except that a pump attendant was on duty, as the work of the pumps is unceasing. As the electrical supply was cut off when work ceased, an auxiliary benzine engine at the mouth of the tunnel was thrown into gear to create the suction in order to keep the tunnel clear for the pump attendant’s periodic incursions to the pumping engine. This ran satisfactorily, or nearly so, until 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, when a defect occurred, and the engine ceased running. There was accordingly no ventilation in the tunnel, and the fumes from the gas engine accumulated thickly at (lie head. However, as there w'as no work to he done until midnight, and the electric cneigj was expected at 7 o’clock, this occasioned little concern. The current came on at 7 o’clock, hut ceased forty minutes Inter, owing to a breakdown at the power-house. A man named Ereeg was on duty at the pumps at the time, and states that when Iris relief (Butler) came on at 8 o’clock lie informed him that the gas was very thick, and “a man would not last live minutes in it.” At 9.30, the foreman of the shift to go on at midnight, A. E. Maxwell, came down to make his customary preliminary inspection, and on his way stopped for a chat with Trigg, the attendant at the electric sub-station. Trigg informed Maxwell of the failure of the current at 7.40, and was unable to state when it might lie expected again. However, Maxwell went off to the tunnel. Some time later, Trigg, who had been growing more and more uneasy and could; hear nothing of either Maxwell or Butler, determined either to dispel or get confirmation of his worst fears, and made for the tunnel. ’lbis was at 10.40 o’clock—on account of the daylight saving scheme In vogue at Mangahao, all times mentioned arc half an hour ahead of local time. At the mouth Trigg met three tunnellers of the midnight shift— F. and V. Graham and W. Birss—who had strolled down to tsee that everything was right, and told them of his fears and his mission. On their Instigation lie returned to his post in case the current was switched on, and the three tunnellers went np the tunnel for a distance of about 20 chains. They called out, and knocked on the pipes, but got no reply. As there was no proof (lint either Butler or Maxwell had entered the tunnel, and, as the fumes were overpowering further in, they returned for some definite Information. Not a sign of either man could he seen in the camp, and the only alternative was that they must be in the tunnel. Not one of the three faltered at the dreadful prospect. They donned their gum boots, these men, took their lights, and set out. The engineer, W. R. Miller, who had been a moment before dissuaded from going in alone, Joined them. 'They were never seen again alive. When and where F. Birss, father of the lad who laid down his life, Joined them is not known. His body was found lying amongst those of the men who composed this first gallant band.