COLLIERY TIP SLIDE

Northern Advocate, 6 November 1931, Page 5

COLLIERY TIP SLIDE

THREAT TO 700 MINERS PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPES. BARKING 'OF A DOG. (Times Cable.) (Received 9 a.m.) LONDON, November 5

The ‘ ‘ Times ’ ’ says the barking of a dog, ■which was eventually killed by debris, saved a family, and possibly 700 miners, from death in the Rhondda Valiev.

A huge tip, containing 1000 tons of debris at the Abergorchy Colliery, after 20 •hours’ of gale and rain began slipping from its foundation at midnight. A dog alarmed the occupants of the colliery clerk’s house, which vi i as directly in the path of the avalanche. They had just time to get out in their night clothes by the back door as the house was engulfed. The enormous mass of rubble gnd stones swept down upon the colliery works, swamped the feeder supplying water 'to the colliery engines, and crushed the engine house. The colliery clerk hurriedly summoned officials and workers, who hastily hauled away 100 empty tramcars, which, however, were speedily overwhelmed by the avalanche. Debris slid a further quarter of a mile and threatened the mine shaft, endangering 700 men who were below and also affecting the mine ventilation. The machinery was so damaged that only one boiler was working. It raised just sufficient steam to work the lift and bring the men and some of the horses to the surface before the cessation of the slide removed anxiety. The damage amounts to some thousands of pounds. Work will be impos sible for a fortnight.