BELLBIRD MINE.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 2742, 7 September 1923, Page 5

BELLBIRD MINE.

EXPLANATION OF FIRE. HORSES' INSTINCT INTIMATED DANGER. GAS DISTIIjLED BY HEAT [By Electric Cable—Copyright]. [Aust. and N.Z Cable Association.] (Received Friday, 2 a.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 6. The report of the chief Inspector of mines on the Bellbird diststcr has been submitted to Cabinct t If states that up to the present records Indicated no presence of fire damp, consequently naked lights were used. There had been two small fires prior to this, the first; in 1917, and the second in 1919, apparently caused by naked lights accidentia - igniting the brattice t As far as the inspector could see, last weok's fire appeared to bo caused accidentally, but by what means he was unable fa say. The report suggests that when the fire started, the ventilation evidently fanned it info flames, and the coal being high In volatiles, the outbreak spread rapidly, distilling gas from the coal. As a result of this thero were a number of explosions, two of which occurred while the rescuers were in the mine. MINE SYSTEM OONDE3INED. SHOULD WORK BACK, NOT FORWARD. SYDNEY, Sept. 6. The situation at Cessnock is gloomy and depressing, following Saturday's disaster. Many theories arc circulating among the miners respecting the catastrophe, one being that the horses had to be whipped into the mine on Saturday, as their instinct intimated danger. Mr Estell, ex3linister of Mines, speaking in the Legislative Council, said that the minc-o,wners should bo compelled to tunnel through to tne far end of their leases, from which coal should be cut, and work back, The present system was entirely wrong, as when the coal was cut away the debris formed gases and also tended to cut off the retreat of the men in the event of their attempting to escape.