A MINING ACCIDENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15005, 29 May 1912, Page 8

A MININ G ACCIDENT.

TWO MEN INJURED.

CAUGHT!'- BX- -A- EALIr OF~ BOCK.

fßr-TELZGBAPH. —OWN COBBXSPONBKKX.} Thames, Tuesday. Astaccideafcoccurred-afc-an early hour this morning in the main crosscut at the 1000 ft j level, whereby two men Darned A- Jamieson, and B. Aubrey were injured, the former? having his left leg broken between ther ankle and knee, and the latter a com-* pound fracture~of the-left- leg just.-above* the ankle. The two >men..named, together with two - others, went on shift at midnight, and at the* time of the accident, which was about LSO ajn., the two injured men were "engaged with the rock drill in boring in the ace,, while the other two had gone out- to the chamber with-a. rake of trucks. The accident occurred through a large rock suddenly breaking away from the back of the drive, on a slippery head. Some time previously the piece of ground whicn fell had been .secured by placing a. prop under it, and it was thought that this would have been sufficient to keep it- up. No doubt, however, the vibration caused by the working of the rock-drift* had further loosened it, with the result-that it broke away from the support. i Jamieson, who was working; behind the drill, heard the head-board above the prop crushing, and immediately jumped back, which undoubtedly saved his life, as lie would otherwise have received the full force of the rock (which weighed some sir or seven tons) on his back. " As it was, he was-canght by the bar-of the drill on the leg. Aubrey, •who was- in s front-.©fHhe drill, was caught in the same manner. The two men were alone in the 'face at the time, and had some difficulty in freeing themselves from the fallen debris lying on them and pinning them to -the ground. As soon as they had donceo-they at once crawled away clear, as there -was danger of a further fall at any time. After dragging themselves along for some distance up the drive they .mefc^assistance,.and were at once conveyed to the hospital, where they are now-doing as-well as can be expected.