MINE DISASTER.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 23 October 1930, Page 5

MINE DISASTER.

HEAVY DEATH ROLL. A TERRIFIC EXPLOSION. Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright COLOGNE, Wednesday. The death roll in the Altdorf disaster has increased to at least 95, and the injured to 76. Many are still entombed and their fate is uncertain. The victims include numerous officials and men employed in the pithead buildings, which went skyward when 20001 b of dynamite, stored at a depth of 1000 ft., exploded as the result of excessive temperatures. The terrific detonation was heard miles away, and gigantic flames and black clouds of smoke arose. Beams, pieces of wall, roof and windows were hurled into the air. The machinery in the offices and a 150 ft. tower, containing the pit-cage, were reduced to debris, from which came cries of the wounded. Some of the killed were found 250 yards from the scene of the explosion. A woman clerk was among the slain. Another clerk was hurled against an iron safe and killed. Rescue operations were not hampered by gas, but some of those who escaped stated that part of the pit is on fire. y DYNAMITE INTACT. (Received Thursday,- 9.25 a.m.) LONDON, Wednesday. The Altdorf death roll is now 231 dead and 96 injured. Throughout the night rescue gangs cleared up the debris. They found the large dynamite stores intact, thus proving the supposition that the explosion was caused by the igniting thereof baseless. Marks on the doors of the galleries indicate that the explosion at first occurred in the pit itself, and later progressed to tlie side galleries, smashing the air gates and giving access to firedamp.

Many miners died of asphyxiation, while others were drowned in water which accumulated owing to the destruction of the pumps. Many of the injured are not expected to recover. The worst effect of the explosion was experienced 1500 feet below the surface, where 89 were killed.