DISASTER IN A MINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21773, 12 October 1932, Page 7

DISASTER IN A MINE

LIFT CRASHES DOWN SHAFT NINETEEN MINERS DROWNED ONLY ONE SURVIVOR (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON; October 10. Crashing to the bottom of a shaft 700 feet deep at Plank, Lane colliery, near Leigh .(Lancashire) 19 miners who were descending iri a lift were killed. The occupants of the power house above heard a dull crash from the depths as the cage struck the water. One occupant survived. The signalman said the double-decker cage went past at a great pace, and dashed into the sump. “ I heard the cry of a miner (Kirshaw) struggling in the water. I threw a rope to him, pulled him to a raft, and lowered a ladder, by which he reached the landing.” ' . . THE PROBABLE CAUSE. OVERCROWDING OF CAGE. U \ LONDON, October -10. The general manager attributes the Plank lane disaster to overcrowding of the cage. Nineteen were drowned in the sump hole. Kirshaw, who is six feet high and weighs 15st, says: “ Everything' was right until 20' yards from the top. Then the cage suddenly stopped and‘a moment'later hurtled to the bottom. Being the last man in, I had my back to the gate. Using all my strength I managed to lift the gate just enough to scramble out, and 1 shot to the surface as ‘ my senses were leaving me.” * v The doctors and ambulance men worked foi* hours extricating the bodies. In two cases there was a flicker of life, and oxygen was administered for hours. I ' ' Forty children are fatherless as the result of the tragedy. ’<