TRAPPED MINER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23022, 27 April 1938, Page 10

TRAPPED MINER

SEWERAGE DRIVE MISHAP RESCUERS' STRENUOUS WORK A miner, Mr. W. Kingshot, aged 38, tras rescued by his workmates after two falls ,of earth had entombed him for three and a-half hoars in a sewerage drive 16 feet below ground level, at Red Hill, Brisbane. He was trapped in a narrow space, and when rescued was waist-deep in water, but escaped with severe shock. Mr Kingshot was working alone in the shaft, and shortly .after 9 a.m. timber supports behind him collapsed, blocking the exit. One piece of timber pinned one,of his feet, while the roof of the drive forced him to remain in a crouching position. The man's call for help was heard, and a gang of about 50 miners rushed to his assistance. Two rescuers scrambled through to the fallen timber and "shook hands with Mr. King- - Bhot, when another fall occurred, and one of the rescuers narrowly escaped being buried. / Unable to move the trapped man watched the water seeping into the shaft. After a time the rescuers drove a piece of' timber through the fallen earth and then pushed an airline through the opening. Mr. Kingshot was - able to use the pipe as a telephone and tell them his position. As the party dug foot by foot, the walls had to bo timbered to prevent further falls. As the fallen earth was? removed it had to be shovelled along a 40-foot drive and taken to the surface up asiother shaft. About 12.45 p.m., the rescuers forced their way through to the trapped man and dragged him through the narrow opening they had made. He was taken to the General Hospital, but later went home. In the meantime, one of the rescue party, H. Lane, of Burns Road, Too•wong, had also to be taken to hospital. He had worked in the shaft for two and a-half hours, and collapsed r from exhaustion.