THE MINE EXPLOSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13834, 21 August 1908, Page 5

THE MINE EXPLOSION.

HEART-RENDING SCENES.

ONLY THREE MEN ESCAPE.

SEVENTY-THREE PERISH. By Tc!*«r»ph.—Pre*« A*»oci*'.ion — Copyright

London. August 19. Many pathetic scenes were witnessed at the pit's mouth after the explosion yesterday in No. 1 Maypole colliery at Abram, near VVigan, in Lancashire.

All round the shaft' the frenzied relatives and friends of the entombed miners remained all through the night.

Special life-saving gangs, equipped with apparatus designed for use in mines after explosions, were sent from Howe. Bridge and Alto'/t.

Three men escaped alive by crawling through to the Wigan Junction colliery, which is connected with the Maypole They encountered many obstacles, caused by heavy fails from the roofs of the drives. The 73 other entombed men are believed to have perished. Twenty bodies have so far been recovered. (Received Angust 30, 10.15 p.m.) London, August 20. The rescue parties report that in the wrecked workings of the mine mutilated limbs are scattered in all directions. Deadly vapours are issuing from the mine and the fire is still burning. The rescue parties were almost overcome last night, and reeled on reaching the surface. The disaster occurred while heshifts were changing. Of the GOO below 524 had stopped work and had ascended to the surface. The position of the corpses found yesterday indicated that the entombed men were making their way to the pit shaft when overtaken by the fire following the explosion. Some had their arms across their faces, and one had succumbed in an attitude of prayer.

The Maypole colliery was properly constructed and fitted with all the latest appliances.