FATAL EXPLOSION IN A MINE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11248, 11 April 1908, Page 4 (Supplement)

FATAL EXPLOSION IN A MINE.

FOURTEEN COLLIERS KILLED. LONDON, Feb. 28. Thirteen men and a boy were .killed m a terrible mining explosion m the Washington Glebe Pit, at Washington. Durham, on Thursday night. •The explosion took place at 10 j>.m. on Thursday, but it was 5 a.m. . yesterday before the full severity of the disaster was known. The village was aroused) by the. explosion, which carried away the wooden structure at the top ot the upcast shaft, and m. a few minutes every one m the place had gathered at the mouth of the pit. It was fortunate that the explosion occurred at night. During the day 500 men are employed m the pit. At the time of tho explosion there were only fifteen persons m the mine, preparing the workings for the tuvn on the day shift. - ' . •' . * About 150 men wore at work m an adjoining pit, which is separated from the Washington Glebe pit only by a thin wall of earth. They immediately abandoned work and rushed to the surface. ■ . . l . Among the first party of rescuers to descend wa.s Major Blackett. of the Charlaw. and Sacristan Collieries, whe carried a 'canary m a cage suspended from- a pole iii front of him. These birds are peculiarly susceptible to the aiter-damp, and when it fell off its perch' the^ resciierers were warned thai the air was dangerous. ' Two of the rescuing party were overcome, however, and had to return to the- surface, where they were medically attended. Finally the air became purer and; the bodies, of the men who had been •m the mine were reached. Only one of the fifteen survived. He was taken out unconscious, suffering from a severe wound m the head, tlie effects of after-damp, and shock, but after artificial respiration had been applied for nearly an hour he recovered consciousness. Another man was alive when he was found, but he died soon after he was brought to the surface. Nothing is known as to the cause of the explosion, and the man who survives is still too ill to bo questioned.