MINE DISASTER

Southland Times, Issue 20044, 4 December 1926, Page 7

MINE DISASTER

NINE ENTOMBED DOBSON TRAGEDY NO HOPE OF RESCUE TERRIFIC EXPLOSION IN PIT DEBRIS THROWN QUARTER OF A MILE. (Per United Press Association.) Greymouth, December 3. At ten minutes past three o’clock this morning a disastrous explosion occurred at the Dobson mine. The night shift were in the mine at the time. They numbered nine and all were entombed. There names are: James Richards, deputy, single, aged 40. Eric Ashton, trucker Robert Hunter, winch driver. Thomas Black, miner. John Lindsay, miner. Edward Partington, mine.. Alfred Noakes, miner. Ernest Brammer, miner, aged 40 and married. James Marshal/ The explosion was of terrible force, wrecked the telephone and telegraph wires and threw debris a distance of a quarter of a mile. Truck wheels were hurled from the mine mouth. The fan of the mine was restarted at 4.30 a.m. Soon after a number of men descended the shaft in order to attempt a rescue. Meantime word was sent to the managers of the Blackball mine and the State colliery. The rescue apparatus was located at Runanga. Workers were summoned from Blackball. Most of the men entombed are comparatively new arrivals in the district. The Dobson mine is known to be rather gaseous. First news of the disaster had to be brought by car to Greymouth owing to the interruption of the wire. However when the fans were re-started hopes were raised that the rescue of the entombed men at the face might be effected. There were five men engaged at the face when the explosion took place while three were trucking at the time of the explosion. Subsequently two bodies were recovered, those of Richards and Hunter, Also Ashton and Lindsay were rescued and sent to Greymouth Hospital. Five others are still entombed (8.30) with little hope of rescue. PARTICULARS OF VICTIMS. PATHETIC CIRCUMSTANCES. Greymouth, December 3. Hunter and Richards resided at Taylorville. The father and uncle lost their lives in the Brunner mine explosion thirty years ago. Two brothers were killed in the war. Richards was dead when the rescuers reached him. Hunter was alive, but in a hopeless condition, and died soon after six o’clock. He was a prominent local Methodist, and nephew of C. Hunter, formerly manager at Dobson. Eric Ashton, removed to the hospital, formerly resided at Ashburton, and joined the mine staff three Weeks ago as a trucker. He was semi-conscious when rescued and kept repeating, “I’m cold.” He was terribly burned. John Lindsay, similarly injured, was totally unconscious. Both are in a critical condition. A pathetic circumstance in connection with Thomas Black (entombed) is that his wife is an inmate of a nursing home with a few days old twins. Mrs Black’s father was killed some months ago at the Dobson mine. Marshall is married, with two children. Noakes is married, with no family. Brammer is married, with no family; and Partington is single. MUCH SURFACE DAMAGE. CAUSE OF EXPLOSION UNKNOWN. RESCUE PARTY HELD UP. THREE OTHER MINERS’ LUCKY ESCAPE. Grey mouth, December 3. Two explosions occurred. The first, the greater, was heard at Runanga, six miles away. Much surface damage was done. Heavy colliery wheels were blown 400 yards away, and a 20-ton concrete block at the mine entrance was shifted a few yards. Houses at Dobson had their roofs pierced and windows broken by faffing debris. The cause of the explosion is unknown, and it is believed never will be. The rescue party cannot get beyond the main dip, 1200 feet in the mine, where the workings sharply turn. At this point four men were found— Richards, Hunter, Ashton and Lindsay. The other men are further in, and until the gas clears nothing can be done for the entombed. The fan was stopped through fear of further explosions. J. Smeaton, with two other miners forming a tunnelling party, had a hicky escape. They came out of the mine two minutes before the explosion to have their "crib.” It was the first time they had thus come out for fully a fortnight. Marshall, one of the entombed, attended the Grey Band’s solo competition last evening, and was given special leave to play first in order to get back to Dobson for his night shift. He was ultimately placed first in the euphonium solo contest, with 99 marks out of a possible 100, the judge remarking on his outstanding performance. AT THE MINE MOUTH. PATHETIC SCENES. RESCUERS BAFFLED. Greymouth, December 3. Scenes at the mine mouth are full of pathos, where groups of women and men watched and waited. Dr Violet Reins and Dr Mcßrearty were early on the scene and did . all possible for the rescue of the men. Further explosions are possible and warnings have been given to the large crowd which assembled*

Another party of rescuers, in charge of Mr D. J. Davis, Inspector of Mines, descended undaunted by the frightful risk, and after half an hour returned with news of failure to reach the entombed men. It is proposed now to seal the mine to put out the fire, as all hope of rescue has been abandoned. TENTH MAN MISSING. FURTHER EXPLOSION FEARED. Wellington, December 3. A telegram has been received by the Secretary of the Post Office from the pastmaster at Greymouth giving similar details to the message already sent, but adds that a tenth man unnamed is missing and that another explosion is feared. RESCUE ATTEMPTS ABANDONED. RISK TOO GREAT. MINE TO BE SEALED. Greymouth, December 3. A meeting of the district mine managers and the Miners’ Union representatives at Dobson, unanimously decided it was unwise to continue rescue attempts owing to the great risk incurred and also the practical certainty that the entombed men are dead. It was decided to seal the mine to extinguish the fire. THE SECOND EXPLOSION. TEMPORARY STOPPINGS BLOWN OUT. MINE ON FIRE. ANOTHER VICTIM DIES. Greymouth, December 3. While crowds of people stood around the mouth and fanway at either end of the Dobson mine at 2.45 p.m., another big explosion occurred as had been feared it would earlier in the day. The mine is burning from the foot of the main dip, along the western end and probably in the two dips from the western level where the bodies of the five entombed men are located. The explosion blew out the temporary stoppings placed at both entrances to the workings, adding further havoc to the scene of the destruction at the mine. Dense smoke is emerging from the entrance to the fan drive. It was thought that another blast might take place and there was fortunately no one in the danger zone. This has destroyed the last hope entertained that the five men entombed might be alive but the probability is they were all killed by the force of the first explosion as they were in a dead end, as it were, with the gas thickest in these places.

John Lindsay, a big man, one of the two surviving the explosion, died at 1.30 p.m. at the hospital. At 7.30 p.m. Mr Ashton was reported still alive at the hospital but his condition was very grave. He formerly resided at Ashburton and until three weeks ago was employed, by the Railway Department on the West Coast. He then left the department’s staff and went into the mine as a trucker. After being rescued he was in a semi-conscious condition and kept repeating: ‘Tm cold.” He was terribly burned. It was decided after this afternoon’s explosion which sent clouds of smoke and fumes skywards, that the mine be resealed and the work is now being done with temporary stoppings which will remain up for some days. In addition to the stoppings it has been decided also to flood the mine as the surest means of extinguishing the fire. The water will be let into the working this evening. The operations are largely being directed by Mr George Miller, the State Mines engineer, who had experience in the 1896 Brunner disaster.

A THIRD EXPLOSION. LIGHTS IN TOWN EXTINGUISHED. DUE TO GAS ACCUMULATION. Greymouth, December 3. A further violent explosion at the Dobson mine at 9 p.m. was reflected in the town by the momentary extinction of the electric light. The power house is half a mile from the mine. It is evident that the cause is the gas accumulation due to the fire, but it is anticipated the effect of the explosions will be to extinguish the fire. HOUSES DAMAGED. RESIDENTS GO TO GREYMOUTH. Greymouth, December 3. The explosion at 9 o’clock damaged a number of houses in the vicinity of the Dobson mine, the inmates of which left them and came to spend the night in Greymouth. Quantities of stones were deposited upon one house. Ashton’s condition remains unchanged. STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF MINES. FULL INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE. ASSISTANCE FROM STATE MINES. Wellington, December 3. The Minister of Mines in the course of a statement to-day said he regretted the unfortunate occurrence at the Dobson mine very deeply. He was not in possession of all the facte and, therefore, could not say anything at present in regard to the disaster further than that the ftillest investigation would be made. Apart from a Depart mental investigation an inquest will be held. Shortly after receipt of the news of the disaster by the Mines Department, instructions were issued to the officials of the State mine to do everything possible to render assistance in rescue work, etc. The Under-Secretary of Mines, Mr A. H. Kimbell, sent the following urgent telegram to the superintendent of the State colleries at Greymouth, “Please render every possible assistance in rescuing men in Dobson mine.”

Later in the morning upon receipt of a further message from Greymouth the following wire was dispatched, “Minister directs that no expense is to be spared by you in rescue work and that if required arrange for special train or motors. Please wire me hourly result* of reacue work.”

The Department states that the accident occurred during the “dog” watch, which does duty from 10 o’clock at night until 6 next morning, when the fewest number of men is employed in the mine. Had the explosion occurred either in the course of the day shift or the afternoon shift, the death toll probably would have been very much heavier as many more men would be in the mine in the daylight hours. FLOODING OF THE MINE. * RESULT OF CONFERENCE. DECISION AFTER INSPECTION. Wellington, December 3. A message received to-night by the Minister of Mines from the Superintendent of State Coal Mines states that a conference of inspectors and mine managers inspected the mine and found it on fire. They agreed that the entombed men were dead and that it was dangerous to take further risks and that the mine entrances be sealed up. This was partly done when the second explasion occurred, fortunately without loss of life. It has now been decided to flood the mine by pumping from the Grey River. The Minister stated that as long ago m April, 1926. he gave written instructions that the inspecting staff were to keep a close watch on operations in the mine. He was advised that these instructions hail been carried out by his officers. The cause of the disaster will be thoroughly investigated. DIRECTORS MEET. ? STATEMENT ISSUED. NO DEFECTS IN MINE. Christchurch, December X On receipt of news of the Dobson disaster the local directors of the Grey Valley Collieries, Ltd., the company owning the mine, held a meeting and at the conclusion a statement was issued that the mine was inspected a fortnight ago by the Chief Inspector of Mines and local inspectors, no defects being reported to the directorate. The directors have no idea whatever as to how the explosion could have occurred or as to any contingent factor. The news has come as a very great shock to them