COLLIERY DISASTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 3524, 27 September 1921, Page 15

COLLIERY DISASTER.

HEROIC RESOLE WORK. PITIFUL SCENES AT THE PIT MOUTH. BRISBANE, September 21. The Mulligan mine explosion blew out the mine tunnel and the air shaft simultaneously. Eighteen bodies so far have been identified- —Gielis, Lieu, Gillies, Latimer, Tay

lor, Hutton, Leary, Patterson, Camm, Long, Howes, Adams, Jaekinzik, Carney, Minogue, Vallem, Liversedge, and Thompson. The body of the last-named was brought out on Tuesday morning. It was burnt black and was destitute of clothes. It was hardly recognisable. The charred remains of Carney and Fogarty were also brought up. The only articles of wearing apparel which were not burnt were their boots. Hr Clarke says that death was instantaneous. The victims who were burnt by the flames would die immediately from shock. At the pit mouth women waited all night, though they knew full well that the chances of their relatives being restored to them alive were hopeless. The rescuers are working in a superhuman fashion to get at the buried miners. Those who are relieved are pacing up and down like caged tigers, impatient for their next turn. The horror of the scene defies description. The women and children are weeping broken-heartedly, and the men are working frantically to distract their minds from the horror of the disaster. A most inspiring sight was that of brave-hearted women whose dead husbands and sons were brought up endeavouring to cheer other bereaved women. They stayed throughout the night at the pit head making tea to refresh the men, and urging them to greater efforts The first funeral ever held in Mulligan took place on Tuesday afternoon. Three farmers’ wagons were used, the hearses each carrying several coffins. A later message states that 22 bodies have been recovered, the latest identified being those of Hawes, MTntvre, and L>. Hutton. The searchers believe that the last batch of miners recovered were suffocated, as they were tound with their faces to the ground, suggesting that they had been struggling against the fumes.' EXPLOSION PROBABLY DUE TO DUST. BRISBANE, September 21. Mr Watson, general manager of the Chillagoe mines, who was prominent in the rescue work, leading most of the parties in their dangerous task, agrees with the view that the explosion was due to dust, not gas.

Those entombed include at least some of a party of 13 Victorian miners who went to work at Mulligan under engagement. A considerable proportion of the missing are married men yvith families.

The eagerness of the men to push the work of rescue in the face of great dangers is embarrassing those in charge. One particularly pathetic instance is reported. An elderly miner named Dave Hutton, whose two sons and a son-in-law are entombed, seized every opportunity to evade those guarding the entrance. When the police ordered him to keep away, a comrade replied: “He has been in all day, but we cannot keep him out.” Pleading some small duty, and promising to come back straight away, Hutton would gain his point. Other exhausted men refused to take a rest until they were assured they would be called in time to join the next gang. Sufficient skilled men have now been got together in various districts to conduct the experienced work required in exploring the workings. Mr Hewitt, secretary of the C'liillagoe Company, said that officers and men freely used acetylene lamps, and appeared to have no doubt regarding their perfect safe tv. He considers that it is possible the explosion was the result of tapping a gas pocket. RESCUERS’ TRYING TASK. BRISBANE, September 21. So far 37 bodies have been recovered from tbs- Mount Mulligan mine. In the opinion of the searchers the last batch removed died from suffocation. They were charred beyond recognition. The latest recoveries were gruesome, and so affected the rescuers as to compel them to use respirators. The miners are of opinion that unless the bodies arc all got out immediately they yvill not be recoverable, as decomposition is rapidly setting in. Thirty-five Mulligan miners are still missing. Everybody there is engaged in work in connection with the disaster. Some are making coffins, and others are digging trench graves. The rumour that the mine was afire has now been denied. It has also been ascertained that the majority of the entombed men are unmarried. All were insured, and in each instance the payment of compensation of not less than £3OO will follow at a later date. The Miners' Federation at Newcastle sent £2OOO for the relief of distress. His .Majesty the King, through ihe Governor of Queensland, cabled bis sympathy “with all the relatives of those killed an t others yvho had suffered through the- unfortunate calamity.” SIXTY-NINE BODIES RECOVERED. BRISBANE, September 22. Fifty-six bodies have been recovered from the Mulligan mine. Air Watson, the manager, collapsed, lie now has a high temperature, and is in the doctor’s hands. He is suffering acutely. He had refused rest, and repeatedly led parties into the tunnel. The names of the others who have been identified are: Riley, M'Cormack, Marks, J. Drier, jun., J. Drier, sen., Johnston, Harrison, Lomax, Nixon, Jackson, Pole, James, M'Colm, Mannhcv, Butcher, Boyle, Spoil's, Ostle, Henry, Carson, James, Mansfield, Lawson, Challoran, F’ogartv, Thompson, Seymour, and Fisher. After 72 hours’ work, tire rescuers at Mulligan are about exhausted. To date 69 bodies have been recovered, leaving about five to be found in the debris. The C'liillagoe mining warden believes that the explosion was due to coal dust, and that the whole workings have been destroyed. Of the bodies recovered 54 have been identified. The corpses bore the appearance qf having been suddenly

struck by a terrific heat flame. The most gruesome sight of all was several men whose position suggested that they had seen some awful terror approaching, and had raised their hands to ward it off. Almost all the bodies recovered have been injured by falling timber. The big grave digging gangs are hardly able to cope with the yvork. September 23. All the bodies, numbering 74, have now been recovered at the Alount Muiligan mine, though a number have not been identified. Sixty of the victims yvere married, and some had large families. Those identified yesterday include :—Grant, Wholan, Spiers, Henes, Adcock, Thompson, C’asliff, Hall, Parkinson, and Smithson. Air Theodore, the Premier, has announced that he is appointing a Royal Commission to inquire into the cause of the disaster. RELIEF FUNDS OPENED. BRISBANE, September 23. The bodies of all the Alulligan victims numbering 75, have been recovered, an i an examination of the mine yyiil be made on Saturday to determine the cause an-., location of the explosion. Pielief funds have been started in Aid bourne and Hobart.