MORFA COLLIERY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6834, 23 April 1890, Page 4

MORFA COLLIERY.

THE DISASTER OF MARCH 10. HEROISM OF THE RESCUE PARTIES. The London correspondent of the Argus sends the following details : — South Wales has been the scene of another terrible colliery explosion, by which eighty-seven lives have been lost. The disaster occurred at the Morfa Colliery, near Port Talbot, Glamorganshire, on March 10. The mine, which is situated about two miles from the village of Tiabach, has a reputation of being very fiery, and has been the scene of several previous disasters, notably on Oct. 17, 1864, when thirty lives were lost, and on Feb. 14, 1870, when an explosion occurred resulting in the loss of a number of lives. Since then most elaborate precautions have been observed in the workings of the pit, with the object of minimising explosions. Coal is got from the main seams, known as the 9ft and Cribb's. It was at the latter that the explosion took place. The men employed about the pit's mouth were (at their midday meal, when a catastrophe below was made known to them by A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION, followed by the belching forth from the Bhaft of clouds of dust and smoke. The colliery officials arrived on the scene in a few minutes, and a party of volunteers descended the mine. The period of suspense gave place to hope by the arrival at the bank of a number of men alive. Shortly afterwards the exploring party sent up a second batch of men; mostof them suffered severely, especially from burns. This second arrival was followed by a long period of painful suspense. Ultimately the signal for hauling up sounded, but when the cage reached the bank it was seen to contain, not the rescued men, but the gallant little band of explorers, half exhaused by their labours. From the first their operations had been impeded by fallen timber, and they had been brought to a standstill by a very heavy fall, which blocked the entrance to that part of the workings in which the main explosion had taken place, that wherein would probably be found most of the missiDg men. THE ATTEMPTS TO RESCUE THEM were of the most heroic character. Intelligence was soon brought by one of the rescue party that after-damps had been met with, and some of their men had fallen. The other party, bravely headed by Mr Gray and Mr Robson (Her Majesty's Inspector of Mines), set out. They had not gone far when they found two of the third lot of explorers lying insensible from afterdamp. Mr Gray had some milk and brandy with him, and as the men were just breathing be succeeded in pouring some down their throats. This revived them a little, and a strenuous effort was made to get them from their perilous position. Mr Robson got hold of one and Mr Gray of the other, but the fearful after-damp became thicker, being driven on by the ventilation, and they had to relinquish their hold and fight for their own lives. Inch by inch they crawled on their hands and knees. It was A VERITABLE FIGHT FOB LIFE. Eventually they were drawn to the pure air. Not to be daunted, however, the rescuers again essayed the task, and eventually ropeß were fixed to the insensible men, and they were drawn out and sent to the bank. These men recovered when brought into fresh air; but one of the explorers, named Daniel Brownsell, died from the effects of the after-damp. The work of the exploring party was stopped by an outbreak of fire in the mine, but by dauntless perseverance the rescuing parties extinguished the fire and restored ventilation, too late, however, to be of any avaiL It was then discovered that eightyseven men had died. Sixty-eight were married, thiee were widowers, and the remaining sixteen were single. The number of children left fatherless by the disaster is 178, of whom 121 are under thirteen years of age. It is estimated that not less than £2400 will be required to relieve the : families and meet other exigencies.