DORTMUND MINE DISASTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19406, 16 February 1925, Page 7

DORTMUND MINE DISASTER

HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE. BODIES TERRIBLY BURNED. IDENTIFIED BY TAGS ON LAMPS. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. BERLIN, February 12. Adjacent to one of th© apertures l of the Dortmund mine, in which an explosion occurred, the rescuers found chalked the message: “Midnight; all well so far; wo are nine.” Later cries emanated from another gallery, but soon ceased, it is beHvcd, because tho fire had extended to that quarter. There was chaos amid the galleries, which handicapped the rescuers, some of whom arc reported to have succumbed to the gas poison. Others successfuly penetrated 1250 ft. The latest reports show that 13 were killed, and seven liavrf been rescued. One hundred and ten bodies have been recovered. The bodies wore terribly burned, and only identifiable by the tags on their lamps. The explosion hurled others 60£t. Dr Luther (Chancellor) was an early visitor to the scene, and expressed the

Government’s condolence. —Reuter. ALL THE VICTIMS MARRIED. SIX KILLED IN ONE FAMILY. BERLIN, February 13. All the victims of the Dortmund explosion were married. Opo family lost the father and five brothers. The cause of the explosion is reported to be fire-damp. The mine was regarded as the most efficient and safest in the Ruhr district. It employed 3000 men, and the yearly output was 1,000,000 tons. —A. and N.Z. Cable.