SEVEN DEAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1922, Page 5

SEVEN DEAD.

TRAGEDY AT HYDRO WORKS. SUFFOCATED IN TUNNEL. OVERCOME BY FUMES. HEROIC RESCUE WORK. A message from the postmaster at Shannon to the secretary of the G.P.O. at Wellington, states that an accident, attended by the loss of seven lives, occurred at the Mangahao hydro works about midnight on Sunday night. Two men were working in the tunnel and were overcome by fumes from an oil engine. Five others went in to rescue them, and all seven were suffocated. The names of the victims are:— W. R. Miller, engineer, single (Dunedin). A. E. Maxwell, tunnel foreman (Wanganui), married with five children. F. Birss, tunneller (Arthur’s Pass), married, four children. W. Birss (son), tunneller, single. P. Graham, tunneller (Arthur’s Pass), married, four children. F. Graham, tunneller (Hastings), married, four children. B. Butler, pump attendant (Shannon). single. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Levin, Last Night. The scene of the Mangahao disaster is in the Arapeti Valley, lying beyond the first range from Shannon. The road climbs a thousand feet up a spur of the Tararuas, and then descends to the basin that will form the huge storage lake for the hydro-electric enterprise. No. 1 tunnel is to bring the waters of the Mangahao under the Mangahao hills into the lake, and No. 2 tunnel will then take the water through the coastal range to the generating station on the Shannon side. The tragedy occurred in this tunnel, which is being constructed by co-operative contractors. Details show that on Sunday evening the only man on the shift in No. 2 was the pump attendant, B. Butler, it being necessary to keep the pump working to clear the tunnel of water making its way through the workings. During the evening the tunnel foreman, A. E. Maxwell, went up to the face, apparently to see that everything was all right for the shift coming on at midnight. DEADLY GASES. A breakdown in the power station on the Shannon side threw the electric fans in the Arapeti tunnel out of gear, and fumes from the oil engine working the pumps accumulated in the workings and created deadly carbon monoxide and dioxide gases. The pumping engine is situated 27 chains from the entrance. The presence of the fatal gas must have been detected by both Maxwell and Butler, whose bodies were subsequently found four chains towards the tunnel mouth.

The men on duty at the sub-station at the Arapeti camp became uneasy at the prolonged absence of their two comrades, and three of them, P. and F. Graham and W. Birss, went down to see what was wrong. They went' in 20 chains, but could get no further, owing to the presence of gas. There was also a large quantity of water in the tunnel floor. They donned gum-boots and essayed again to penetrate further.

At this stage the little party of three were joined by W. R. Miller, the engineer in charge at Arapeti, and F. Birss, a tunneller, and the five men then entered on what proved to be the fatal journey, not a man returning alive. They struggled on for nearly 20 chains, where they were found by a later rescuing party, being still about three chains away from Maxwell and Butler, whose bodies were recovered later. The first news of the tragedy was made known by C. Trigg, who was also on duty at the sub-station. As soon as he was relieved, about midnight, he made his way to the tunnel, and seeing no sign of his mates, entered the tunnel mouth. He fought his way in until he reached the first four of his comrades, who were lying in the tunnel. He found he could do nothing for them, and only struggled out himself to fresh air. VOLUNTEERS TO RESCUE. After recovering he gave the alarm, and the dread news of what had occurred spread like wildfire through the camp, and soon men were working from all entries to assist in rescue. The fumes were now very dense, and it was advised that only the most experienced men were to be permitted to undertake the rescue of the bodies. There was no lack of volunteers, however, and offers of the workers came from all sides.

The first body discovered was that of F. Birss. A chain further the rescuers found W. Miller, Birss, junr., and F. Graham. The rescuers got Miller’s body partly on to a truck, when they got the fumes. J. Quinlan, one of the rescue party, was overcome and staggered out, whilst T. O’Halloran collapsed for a time and was got out by J. Sinclair. Another party was got together, and they succeeded in getting the bodies jfMessrs. Miller, Birss, junr., and F. Graham on the truck and rushed them out, picking up Kinzett, of the first rescue party, on the way. He had collapsed when apparently attempting another entry. Trigg, another rescuer, was also found incapacitated, and he was carried. Kinzett and Trigg were found to be in a bad way after their heroic exertions, and had to be removed for medical attention.

At 1.45 a.m. the electric fan was restarted, and at 2.10 the third party started in. They sent out the remaining bodies, that of P. Graham being recovered first, and then those of Maxwell and Butler. The two latter were found together, the greatest distance in the tunnel. As the fat’d fumes were now being drawn out, the rescuers were able to follow in safety as the tunnel cleared.

The only man who appeared to show signs of life after the rescue was F. Birss, but although artificial respiration was trie! for an hour and a half on all the unfortunate men, it was unsuccessful, and the tragic fact that the disaster had claimed all seven victims forced itself upon the unhappy assemblage. It is expected the inquest will be held to-morrow. The Minister of Public Works states that an officer of the Mines Department, also a staff officer of the Public Works Department, have been sent to Mangahao to investigate the accident. THE DEAD ENGINEER. Dtfnedin, Last Night. William Robert Miller, one of the victims of the- Mangahao tunnel disaster, was the youngest son of Mrs. Miller, of this city. He .vas dux at the Forbury 1 prim&rv and also a aucceaafuX

pupil of the Otago Boys’ High School. He left New Zealand with the engineers in the Seventh Oeinforcemente, and served through a great portion of the war. He visited Canada and the United States with a view to acquiring knowledge of his profession. His eldest brother. James, is Clerk of the Court at Wanganui. He was about 27 years of age.