Dreadful Colliery Explosion IN OTAGO.

Colonist, Volume XXII, Issue 2514, 22 February 1879, Page 3

Dreadful Colliery Explosion IN OTAGO.

Tflißrr-six lives supposed to i BE LOST. i ■ ■ • ■ __— [New Zeaianp Psbß3 Association Tblbobams.] i .„...! Dtwedin, February 21. ! Between 8 and 9 o'clock this morning the Kaitingata Company's Coal Mine, Olutha district-, exploded. Edward Dunn, son of George Dunn, was at tile time entering the drive with his horge; they were blown about fifty yards from the pit's mouth, the boy being killed. There are some 36 men inside, and none of them are yet recovered. All available efforts are being made to get them out. Immediately after the explosion, Mr W. 8. Griffin, station master, despatched an; engihe to Balolutha for Dr Smith,1 and he; was at the scene of the accident within 25 - ' minutes. Cheat excitement prevails. : '' I •■■:/ -:■■-...■..•'■.'. ■■• ■ Later;;"" 1 jDr Smith arrived by special train, but the men are " still enclosed, and it is impossible to get into the' mine for fire-damp and debris. i ..,...".""" ' Noon. One. more dead body; has been got out. The rescuers are working hard. | 3.3 p.m. |Mr Farra, ona of the directors living at Balclutha, : telegraphed to Mr Hawkins, secretary to the Company, as.follows:—" Kaitangata, 1.35 p.m. Can you send twenty' Green Island miners to-night? Our,n\e,n , f are becoming exhausted. Only eight bodies are,re- ?■ covered yet." J- ~.. . The official telegram from Constable Warren,' sent. a at 1.40 p.m., says—" Eight bodies altogether have bden recovered. There are supposed to be about 28,,.. still in the mine. No hopes of any being alive." iTwelve bodies have been taken out of the pit. There were thirty-five in- the mine, and there is hardly any hope of any being found alive. «... , 1 - ti \ , : ;' .-.■•; Kaitangata, 7.26t pjm.i ;' The icene at the pil's mouth was beartreading: in the extreme as the bodies were brought out; .Several -' men in the mine were arrivals by the ship i Welling- - ton, and, only started work yesterday. Twenty of' the men in the mine are married. The weeping of -•- women and children is a lamentable scene. Sereral ■ bodies recovered are those of married men with two, thjree, and four children. , mi it !