FIRE IN A COAL MINE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13652, 23 July 1906, Page 3 (Supplement)

FIRE IN A COAL MINE.

JOUlt MEN ENTOMBED. ALL RESCUED ALIVE. GALLANT WOIUC BY THE RESCUERS THK RESCUED MEN INTERVIEWED. AN EXCITING DAY AT ALEXANDRA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) ALEXANDRA SOUTH, July w. Tho day has been one of great excitement in Alexandra, the cause being an outbreak of fire in tho .Molyneux Company's coal mine when four men were working in the mine. For some time their chances of being rescued appeared slight, but, thanks to the pluck and determination of the residents of the district, who Hocked in from all quarters when it became known that tho mine was on fire, the task was accomplished successfully. The. fire broke out between 3 and I o'clock in the morning, there being four men in the, initio at the lime-namely, William King, Samuel Churchill, Michael Kane, and Archibald l'.ruec. All but Churchill were single men. Churchill is married, and has a family. The fire was discovered by V. Burgess, the enginedriver, who at once shut off steam as a warning to Ihn men working below. Tieliving no response, ho. aroused bis brother, who was slnniing in a'hut near the mine, and the hitler made an attempt lo d'scend the Kliiift, hut (lie smoke and fumes rendered his attempt a failure. Mr James Pollock, the mine manager, was sent for. On his arrival h" found smoke and llames pouring out of the shaft, and the flames spreading to tho poppet-head, fleeing that ihe (Kisition was serious, and would require energetic efforts, a messenger was sent to Alexandra and the fircbell run. Thii entombed men were signalling by 'this time, and the fact that some, if not, all, of them were alive spurred on those who were arriving on the scene to assist in rcscuo work to greater efforts. THK RESCUK WORK. Several attempts were made to reach tho ontombed miners, but as those were unsuccessful it was decided to divert tho waterraee which supplies Alexandra with water,and flood out tho fire by partially flooding the mine. At the same time another large gang formed a bttokol brigi'do. Tho water ■was passed from hand to band and poured down the shrift. Although these efforts did not go far in the direction of suppressing tho fire, they undoubtedly tended to keep the fire somewhat in check. By dint of real bard work the task of diverting the water-race by making a cut fully 400 yards in length was accomplished, and tho water turned into the shaft. By 10 o'clock the water commenced to lell a tale, and it was evident the fire was being subdued. After more water had been poured into the main shafr an attempt was made to reach tho entombed men, and two of the rescuers reached tho bottom of the shaft, but were unablo to penetrate- any portion of the

Tho work of flooding the mine wi>.s then resumed, ncT'litroiinl assistance having arrived in tli« slmpo o( Ino pumps, which did excellent work as soon as f hoy woro fixed up. Although it was evident steady proyross was being niadi!, Iho work seemed \ory (odious to onlookers, The men below continued to signal (roni time to lime. It was not until 4 o'clock in the afternoon that the lire was got under control. The iwiners Rgain descended and poncl-rated into the mine [or a, disUnco of 65ft, hut the. heat, smoke, and fumes were so powerful that no one could remain underground more than a few minutes at a time. Jtoro water wai pumped into the '.nine, and slow hut steady ■progress made. By r.liout. 8 o'clock iho gallant work of Iho roeuers was nnproaohing a close. Communication was effected between the shaft find the nlacc where the men wero taking nheller. Mr Hunter, one, of tlio rescue party, who came up shortly after 8 o'clock, was utile to report that the fire was nil out, and investigation of the mine had shown that tho four men had erected a barricado to keep hack tlio fire from their quarters. >lr Hunter spoke hopefully of being able- to reach the men within an hour or so. Events proved he was over-sanguine, as tho work of tlm rescuers was still very arduous and dangerous. M. - Ashworlh, ono of tho resellers, was badly affected by fire damp. On being brought to tho surface he was attended to hy Dr Gregg and willing assistants. SUCCESS AT LAST. lly 10 o'clock, when T visited tho scene eftei" a short nbscm*, tho entombed men had been rescued alive. King, Kane, and Churchill were tho first to he brought to tli* surface. King was conscious, hut 1)r Oiegg w'ould not allow any conversation with him. Kane and Churchill wore-in a very bad slate. The men hail been lying in water for somo hours with just, their i;os"s and mouths abovo the water. Mr Fisher, of the rescuing party, grabbed Tilucc, tlio fourth man. but. was overcome bv the funics, an.l could not bring him out. Bruce was, howover, got out safely by others of the rescuers. Sixteen colliers arrived from Bannockburn 10 assist in the work of rescue. Several of the rescuing party were ill it state of collapse with the fumes. Mr Pollock, the manager, was very bad. but Ashworth, who had lic-en affected earlier in tho clay, has recovered. Hundreds of people from all round the dislrict were on the scene, anxious to assist, business in town was at. a standstill, nil tlio townspeople able to do so working like Trojans at tho mine. l)r Orcgg was at the pit mouth since morning till tlio men were jweiioil, applying rcstorativea where needed.