DOBSON MINE DISASTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 6 December 1926, Page 5

DOBSON MINE DISASTER.

ANOTHER DEATH. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) GREYA!OIITH, Sunday'. Following the third big explosion iu tlie Dobson mine at 9 p.m. on Friday', the .experts decided that the only' recourse was to flood the mine. Pumping began at 3.40 p.m. yesterday', at tlie rate of fifteen thousand gallons hourly, at which rate it will require a. couple or three days to extinguish the fire. Friday' night’s explosion was preceded by a warning rumble, otherwise some workmen then engaged in sealing the mine would probably have been killed. One man hurried away, calling liis mates to follow, and they' had just got to a point of safety when the terrific explosion hurled debris hundreds of yards, sending a rock about 350 pounds 3ri weight a distance of a quarter of a mile. Another big stone crashed through tlie roof of Air Roberts”.? house, falling close to a sleeping child. About ten houses were then vacated in North Dobson. The first explosion blew one block of concrete of 20 tons weight from'the entrance of the mine, and last night’s explosion blew the same block a further tea feet. The dentil occurred yesterday' afternoon, at the hospital, of Eric Ashton, a trucker, who was! the fourth of the men •got out on Friday morning. Thus every one of the nine men* within the mine when the original explosion occurred lost, liis life.

The wife of Thomas Black, one of those whose bodies remain in tlie mine, after giving birth to twins a few days ago, is reported to be in a grave condition, consequent on learning of her husband's fate.

A crowd of between three and four thousand attended to-day the funeral of the four victims'. The Mayors of Greymonth, Brunner and Rnnanga, also Mr James O’Brien and others, are moving for tlu--organ-isation of a relief fund. The Mayor of .St. Kilda, Dunedin, has already lent his co-operation.