TERRIBLE EXPLOSION

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 187, 12 September 1914, Page 11

TERRIBLE EXPLOSION

DISASTER AT HUNTLY MINE

THIRTY-TWO ENTOMBED

LITTLE HOPE OF RECOVERY.

1 RESCUE WORK OBSTRUCTED.

POISONOUS FUMES AND SMOKE.

Prt*s Association

HAMILTON, September 12. A terrible explosion occurred at Ralph's Mine, Huntly, at 7.30 this morning. . , Thirty men were entombed and four rescued, badly burned, three of whom were sent to the Waikato Hospital. The town shook like an earthquake when the explosion occurred, and the atmosphere is still dense with smoke. Owing to the smoke and fumes it is impossible to approach the pit head, but relief parties left at nine o'clock to enter the shaft from the other end. The cause of the explosion is unknown. A VOLCANO. When the explosion occurred flame, smoke, and dust were blown up from the main shaft. Fortunately the .workings in Ealph's Mine extend three quarters of a mile under the river. The main shaft is at Huntly railway station, and there is another shaft three-quar-ters of a mile distant at Taupiri "West, where eleven men sreaehed the surface. MORE- RESCUED. Five men were brought to the surface at the main shaft. The latter were working at the bottom of the shaft when the explosion occurred. A hopeful sign is that a horse, believed to have been at the east workings, made its way to v the Taupiri West shaft, which would indicate that the ventilation is not bad. Relief parties have gone down both shafts. ' • Later. Further investigations show that only 26 men were working in the pit at the time of the explosion, which occurred at 7.50 a.m. Fortunately to-day was an off day at the mine, the average number employed in this shaft on ordinary days being in the vicinity of 100 regular miners; therefore all were off duty, only truckers and general hands being employed below in cleaning and straightening iip the tunnels. FIRST INDICATIONS. The first indication that something was wrong was an unusual rumbling sound beneath, which was followed almost immediately by a terrific explosion. Flames and smoke belched forth from the pit mouth, and soon the town was enveloped in smoke. The shock of the explosion blew the cage resting at the bottom of the shaft to the top, while it smashed the gal- j vanised iron sheds and threw over all, working in the vicinity of the pit j mouth on the surface. The blowing out of the cage, fortunately did not damage the winding gear at.the poppet head; consequently the cage on the surface descended as the one from below canie up. Six men were working immediately at the foot of the shaft when the explosion occurred, and though { thrown heavily down, several being frightfully burned, they helped each other into the cage, rang the surface signal, and ascended.

THE RESCUED. On reaching the ground level they were at once removed from the pit head enclosure, and two local practitioners dressed their wounds. The worst cases were ordered to the Waikato Hospital, where they were conveyed by goods train, a distance of The three men brought to Hamilton were Alfred Packham, John Jackson, and Alexander Izatt, who presented a terrible sight. Their heads and arms being a mass of scarred flesh, which was begrimed with coal dust, making it even more ghastly. How the explosion occurred has not been ascertained. The men work below with naked acetylene lights, the mine, which was examined two years ago, having been declared one of the safest in the Dominion. A strong rescue party left Huntly West at about 9 o'clock, but there was a great shortage of safety lamps, which, no doubt, will hamper the work. THE WAY BLOCKED. As the rescuing party was preparing to leave they met eleven men who had groped their way without lights to the west end, one and a-quarter miles away, which they reached safely, none being injured in any way. These men state that the road's are all blocked, which will prevent the mine being worked from the Huntly side while it is on fire in two places. On their way out they came across a horse which had made its way from the underground stables. This is looked upon as a good augury for the remainder of the entombed. THIRTY-SIX BUKTED. i A later message states that thirty-

A terrible explosion occurred at Ralph's mine, Huntly, at 7.30 this morning. Thirty-two men are entombed, and little hope is held out for their recovery. Several men, injured in various degrees, have been conveyed to the hospital. \ Two dead bodies have been recovered. Both were unrecognisable. Piteous scenes are being enacted around the pit mouth, where mothers, wives, and sisters await news of those trapped in the mine. The manager of the Taupiri Company states that.the mine was worked with naked lights, and was considered the safest in the Dominion.

The folloAving message was received by the manager from the Governor:— I only just heard of the terrible accident. Will'you convey to those employed in Ralph's Mine, and to the relatives of those injured, ah expression of Lady Liverpool's and my own deepest sympathy. 'We sincerely trust that those who are in the mine may soon be» released. Please telegraph progress of the rescue work.

I six men are still entombed, which, with ( eleven who found their way out safely, and six who were injured, makes the total working in the mine at the time of the explosion fifty-three. . SOME OF THE ENTOMBED, Amongst the thirty-six still entombed are James Darby, sen., Harry Packham, John Worskey, John Skellern, Willistm Hiuscho, Hopper, Steele, and Parsons. A full list is not ascertainable. The whole of the town is gathered at the west end of the pit where there are many pitiful scenes. Women "who have their husbands, sons, or brothers trapped in the burning mine stand weeping around while sympathetic neighbours strive to pacify them.' Business-is at a standstill and the whole town is cast, in gloom. FULL OF FUMES. ~.',_ The two dead bodies rescued are supposed to be those of Wiliiam Kelly and William Burt, but the -ident.it/ js m..:<•;•• l;-in. It is impossible to get*a full list ox the names of men entombed, ar tkv. deputies were belov* with/the list. A party enjerc' i the main shaft at I o 'clock, and" got .'through for. several hundred yards, but: laok of; air! and gaseous fumes, forced them toagain- Several were ■in a state of ,l\ coif lii|.n?e. A member of chi sitttfs tl-aT' the lack '«>£ air was: that it was almost while the safety; lamps were extiri"guished. ;.

The following is the list of men entombed, gathered from their comrades on the surface:—W. Gowaus (deputy mine manager), James Darby, John Whorskey, William Smith, H. Peekham, sen., John Skellern. (deputies), William Burt, W. Brocklehurst, D. Lyons, J. Holden, J. Greener, S. Jackson, W. Hinsches (shiftmen), H. Burt, W. Mitchell, J. Martin, J. Bowler (truckers), W. Brocklehurst, jun., W. Mayland, jum,. J. Jackson (clippers), W. Kelly, W. Paterson. (contractors), T. Molesworth, ,F. Taylor, T.,/ Berry (winchmen), W. - Allen (machine driver), JV Steel, D. Patterson, H. Ransome, W. J. Jones (roadmen), W. Blinkins.op (shooter), J. Thompson (horse driver), J. Gilber (filler). The latter is doubtful. ' ■•'■.■ ■:' ■' '■■.,

The following are the eleven men who found their way out: —A. Stewart, B. Healev, Richards, A. Macintosh, J. Tolian, W. A. Mitchell, D. Fletcher, H. Early, J. Young, A. Farrar, and Wilkie. HEROIC INCIDENT. An incident of ah heroic attempt tv save a. lad named Alex. Izaac is related of Joe O'Brien. These two, with J. Jackson, were engaged at the foot of the main shaft when the accident occurred, and O 'Brien endeavoured to push Izaac into a man-hole out of the way of the flames. It was not his fault that the poor little chap, aged 17, was badly burned. THE RESCUED. The following injured from Ralph's shaft have been removed to the. hospital—A. Peekham, J. Jackson,, A. Izitt. The following were also rescued from the same shaft: —J. O'Brien, G. Morton, J. Brownlee, A. McGill, D. Weir, and D. Hughes. Rescued from the Taupiri West shaft: —Mitchell, Mcintosh, Farrar, Wilkie, Fletcher, Early, Richards, Young, Healy, and Tolian. LITTLE HOPE FOR ENTOMBED. There are still .'i'2 men entombed, and there is practically no hope for theih held out. Jt is reported that three bodies have beeu recovered, unrecognisable, from the Taupiri west shaft. AWFUL EXPERIENCES. The rescued miners state that they were proceeding down a little dip, wheie it is supposed the explosion occurred. They felt a terrific blast of wind in their faces, and were forced to lie ngainst the wall for several minutes. McGill and Brownlee heard calls from .Mottran, and found his arm injured. They assisted him to the cage, Avhere Constable Wright was waiting to take them up. Tolian said that he could not ma<■»o out what had happened He, did not realise anything serious, and kept on his way. He met a party of mot. who explained that he had be'/er get out quickly. He, with the nest of the party, hurried to the top of the Taupiri west shaft, and escaped. He is still in a stunned condition, and unable to give a connected account of his experiences. A couple of horses were found in their- stables, about a mile from the bottom of Ralph's shaft. One. of the horses came to the bottom, quite unhurt. One of the men rescued from Ralph's

shaft was., blown back fully a hundred feet by the explosion. One man found his way out by the Taupiri west shaft. J. Young said he, with Mitchell and the latter's niate r were in No. 6 cabin, and while walking along a tremendous wind met them, going from the Vear, which'*, forced them l to lie flat against the sida. „.Tney werei unable to converse for several minutes. Then they fell almost exhausted from the effects of the foul air. They tried to get through the doors from No. 6 into the main road, but were unable to do so, and, knowing the direction %f the West Taupiri shaft, made for that spot. RESCUE PARTY DEFEATED. The first rescue party that entered the mine head has returned. They, were unable to forge more than a few hundred yards. The members state that the scene in the vicinity of the foot of the shaft is one of devastation, skips, steel ropes, and rails being scattered in all directions, while two horses in oneof the stables are completely incinerated. There is almost an entire absence of-' air, and very little hope is entertained for the remainder of the men entombed. A large party of men is engaged making brattices of sacks, for the purpose of introducing and directing into the mine. EXTINGUISHING THE FT.RK. Another party descended at 3 oViock ' with a pump and hose to try and extinguish, or "reduce, the fire. Among these is Inspector Bennie, Government Inspector of Mines. A third body has been recovered, that of John Whorskey (deputy). THE MANAGER'S OPINION. Mr. E. W. Alison, chair»ian of directors of the Taupiri Coal Company, says the disaster at Huntly was a great shock to him. The company had done everything possible to minimise the risk of accidents with Ralph's and the Ex- : - tended mines. They "employed men', whose business was to do nothing else but go round and see that everything was in order. Never before had " there l ' . been a serious accident at the . company 's mines. He always considered them free from gas. There is a barrier between the two mines of five chains, consisting of strata and coal, purposely left so that an accident to one mine could not affect the . other.