COALMINE DISASTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 4 December 1926, Page 5

COALMINE DISASTER.

FURTHER EXPLOSIONS. RESCUED MAN SUCCUMBS. (By Telegraph —Press Association.) GK E YMOUTII, Fri day, A further explosion at tho Dobson Mine occurred at 2.45 p.m., blowing out. the temporary stoppings at both entrances to the mine. Nobody was injured as tho explosion was expected, and the crowd had been kept back. There was a further violent explosion at the Dobson mine at 9 p.m. It was reflected in town by the momentary extinction of- the electric light. The power house is half a mile from the mine. It is evident that the cause of gas accumulation, is due to lire damp, but it is anticipated that the effect of the explosions will be to extinguish the fire.

While crowds of people stood around tho mouth and a fanwav at either end of tho Dobson mine at 2.45 p.m. another big explosion occurred, as it had been feared .that it would earlier in the day. The mine is burning from the foot of the main dip along the western end, and’probably in the two dips from the western level where the bodies of the live entombed men are located. The explosion blew out the temporary stoppings placed at both entrances to the workings, adding further havoc to the scene of the destruction at the mine. Denso smoke is emerging from the entrance to the fan drive. It was thought that another blast might take place, and there was fortunately no one in the danger zone. This lias destroyed the last hope entertained that, the five men entombed might be alive, but the probability is that they were all killed by the force of the first explosion, as they were in a dead end,.as it were, with the gas thickest in their places.

John Lindsay, one of the two who survived the explosions, died at 1..10 p.m. at the hospital. At 7.20 p.m. Ashton was reported still alive at the hospital, but Ins condition is very grave.

After this afternoon's explosion, which sent clouds of smoke and fumes skywards, it was decided that the mine must be re-sea Ted and work is now being done with temporary stopipngs which will remain up for some days. In addition to the stoppings, it has been decided also to iloctd the mine as the. surest means of extinguishing the fire. The water will be let into the workings this evening. The operations are largely being directed by Mr George Miller, State Mines Engineer, who had experience in. 1596 of the Brunner disaster.

The explosion at 9 o’clock damaged a number of houses in the vicinity of the Dobson Mine, .the inmates of which" left them and came to spend the night in Greymouth. Quantities of stones were deposited upon one house. NO FURTHER EXPLOSIONS. GREYMOUTH, : ■ThisMlay. Further explosions were expected, but none have occurred since last night. Flooding operations are progressing. The funerals of Richards, Lindsey and Hunter will take place to-morrow at Karoro. Special trains will run and a large public attendance is expected. Ashton, who is in the hospital, was reported at 11 a.m. to-day to be very weak. HOPE ABANDONED. \YELLINGTOX, Friday. A message received to-night by the Minister from the Superintendent of the State Goal Mines, states that a conference of inspectors and mine managers inspected the mine, and found it on fire. Jt was agreed that the entombed men were dead and that it would be dangerous to take further risks, and that the mine entrances should be sealed 'Up. This was partly done when the second explosion occurred, fortunately without loss of life. It has now been decided to Hood the mine by pumping from the Grey River. The Minister stated that as long ago as April, 1925, lie gave written instructions that, the inspecting staff were to keep close watch on operations in the mine. He was advised that these instructions had been carried out by the ■officers. The cause of the disaster would be thoroughly investigated. NO DEFECTS REPORTED. CHRISTO HU RCH, Friday. On receipt of the news of the Dobsou disaster, the local directors of the Grey Valley Colleri.es, Ltd., Company, owners of the mine, held a meeting, and at the conclusion a '.statement was issued that the mine was inspected a fortnight ago by the Chief Inspector of Mines and/the local inspectors, and no defects were reported to the directorate. The directors had no idea whatever as to how the-explosion could have occurred, or as to any contingent factors. The news had come as a verygreat shock to them.