MT. LYELL DISASTER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10528, 16 December 1912, Page 5

MT. LYELL DISASTER.

United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. Received December 16, 9 a.m, Hobart, December 16.

Before the North Lyell Commission, Stone, a miner working at the 700 feet level, testified that it was not possible for the men’s clothes to catch fire when warming their billies. Witness was informed by Burns that the pumphouse was afire. Witness told Grant the timekeeper, and asked him to get three doctors. Grant replied that he would telephone Murray. Witness said never mind Murray get the doctors. Grant apparently telephoned Murray reporting the outbreak°aud suggesting doctors. This was at 11.15 in the morning. Witness thought if the order had been given promptly the whole shift could have been saved. If there bad been a man always in attendance at the 700 feet pumphouse the fire could have been extinguished. There was no exit from the mine other than the shaft. Witness considered the men on the other side of the pumphouse were cut off from escape. O’Connor, engine driver in charge of the hoist machinery, said the first message stated that the pumphouse at the 700 feet level was afire. He received the order to raise and lower the cage quickly. He got a message from below ‘For God’s sake keep the compressor going or we will all be suffocated.’’