MINING DISASTERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3596, 13 February 1923, Page 21

MINING DISASTERS.

125 MEN ENTOMBED. RESCUE WORK PROCEEDING. NEW FORK, February 8. At Dawson (New Mexico) 125 miners were entombed in a coal pit following an explosion, the cause of which is uiiJV 10 ' 111 - The detonation was so violent that the telephone lines were wrecked, cutting the town off from communication. The heavy concrete work at the mouth of the mine collapsed, choking the entrance and delaying ■. rescue work. Many lives were lost in an explosion m the same mine in 1913. A message from Denver (Colorado) states that a newspaper correspondent at Dawson telegraphs that 100 of the entombed miners are dead. Three were re-’ moved alive, Rescue trains, carrying he equipment necessary to deal with the situation, are being rushed to the scene of the explosion from Arizona and Colorado. The "explosion is’ believed to have occurred 400 ft. underground. TWENTY-FIVE BODIES RECOVERED. VANCOUVER, February 9. A message from Dawson states that' rescue parties have sent out word that they have located numerous bodies of the mine victims. Six bodies have, been brought to the surface. There is no hope that any of the entombed men are alive. A later message states .that 25 bodies; have been recovered, and 10 are still underground. One man is dying, and five are badly injured. The cause of the explosion was defective wiring on a driller, the other slopes of the mine are undamaged. One hundred and sixty men escaped. NEW YORK, February 10. Messages from Dawson state that ,*>2 bodies have been recovered. The entombed miners who were unharmed made their way out of the mine meeting the rescue party who were tunnelling at the entrance. The men stood in one spot ail night,, waiting till the gas cleared. They declared ’they had no knowledge of the fate of the others who were working nearby. Their escape has given the rescuers fresh hope, and they are increasing their •Sorts to reach the scene of the disaster. VANCOUVER ISLAND EXPLOSION? VANCOUVER, February 9. An explosion in the Cumberland Mine, Vancouver Island, killed many men and injured others. Twenty-one bodies have been recovered. Thirty men are still in the mine, including 20 whites.