DRAMATIC STORY OF DISASTER

Southland Times, Issue 23989, 2 December 1939, Page 6

DRAMATIC STORY OF DISASTER

LIVES LOST AT GLEN AFTON. EVIDENCE BEFORE ROYAL COMMISSION (United Press Association) HAMILTON, December 1. The Royal Commission inquiring at Huntly into the mine disaster at Glen Afton mine on September 24 is now sitting. There are 32 witnesses to call, and the inquiry is being presided over by Mr S. L. Paterson, S.M. . Up to the present the most important evidence was that of the wife of the mine manager who lost his life m the disaster, Mary Jane Blackburn. Her husband, the witness said, left home on Sunday morning, September 23, saying he was just going to look round the mine and would not be away long. Some time later she received a message over the mine telephone from her husband, who said: For Gods sake go over and get Thomas (the mine engineer). Get him to start the fan at once as there are two deputies m the mine and I can’t find them.’ The next message she got was from Cole, who said: “Start the fan.” There was a distinct break between each word. Then he said: “Carbon monoxide. She went over to Thomas and told him of the message from Cole that there was gas in 'the mine and he said he had started the fan. . Subsequently, the witness received a message over the telephone from her husband who said: “Have you got Wattie Cole out? I’m going back to get the others. My God it is awful. That was the last she heard from him. Visibly affected by his experience in the mine, David William Thomas, chief engineer to Glen Afton collieries, said he started the fan as requested. On going into the mine he became affected after passing Section F. He saw a light about 30 yards away and found Brown was dead. He himself was able to get out only with difficulty. At another section he telephoned the mine inspector warning him not to let anyone into the mine under any circumstances. The chairman commended the witness for telephoning the message, which was the best thing to do and probably was instrumental in preventing further loss of life. , Other witnesses said they considered the mines in the Waikato were not gaseous and that fire was the principal danger. 7 . It is expected that the commission will not conclude until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Fire which broke out on the morning of September 24 in the Glen Afton coal mine, generated deadly gases which caused the death of 11 men, all of them married, and plunged the Huntly coal mining district into the worst tragedy which had befallen it since 1914, when 41 men lost their lives in an explosion in the Huntly mine. A full list of those killed was:— Christopher Blackburn, mine manager, aged 40; William Brown, undermanager, aged 40; William Wilcox, underviewer, aged 55; Richard Ireland, deputy, aged 60; Walter Cole, deputy, aged 45; Jack Marshall, acting deputy, aged 37; William Bell, electrician, aged 37; Raymond Turley, electrician, aged 34; William Peden, miner, aged 54; George Hunter, shiftman, aged 35; James Clark, shiftman, aged 50.