DISASTER AT CHARTERS TOWERS

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1120, 15 October 1904, Page 3

DISASTER AT CHARTERS TOWERS

Brilliant Mine Afire

MINERS SUFFOCATED TO DEATH The Fire Spreading Viw *i«ool»tion.—Oop.trishi. Brisbane, Oct. 14. Thb Brilliant mine at Charters Towors has caught fire. The fumes aro extending to several other mines in the vioinity. I' is behoved that there aro several fatalities, All work hns boon stopped, 'llio local exchange is closed. LATER PARTICULARS Sydney, Octobor, 14 Dotails oi tho fire aro meagre. The Brilliant mine had been practically worked out, and tho Company's operations wero restricted to raising a little oro; but a number of tributors wero at work, Tho latest report is that rescue operations are boing impeded by tho spread of the firo and donso fumes, Fears of a collie aro causing anxiety. Ono of the resouo parties ha, s not returned.

FIVE MEN ENTOMBED

RESCUE PARTIES AT WORK, FUMES SPREAD TO ADJOINING MINE FOUR MINERS SUFFOCATED Press Association—Copyright. Brisbane, Oct, 14 Tho fire at Charters Towers was dis* covered at oho o'clock in the morning, Fivo tributors—John Russell, William Evons, Alfred Mountain, W. Nixon, and Sandy Mitchell—were in tho Brilliant block and Mexican East mino at tho titno ol tho outbreak. It is beliovod thai) all havo lost thoir lives,

Russell's body has beer, rocovorod, and the bodios of two others havo boon seen by tho roseuo parties, Many of tho men in the adjoining mines wero overcomo by the fumes, but were rescued.

Oaoof them (Mitchell) a brothor of ono of the missing men, has succumbod to tho effects,

Many resone parties are at work, Tho firo is still raging. It is surmised that the scat of the outbreak was an old timbering shaft, Jt is feared that its progress will not bo easily checked.

Brisbane, this day Tfaoro aro immenso quantities of old timber tolow tho connections betiveen tho Brilliant and fivo or six othor mines, The timbering is almost continuous, aud thcro is great danger of serious collapses.

It is possible that some of tho mines will never bo worked again, Tho flames, which spread into tho shaft, had to be extinguished boforo thoy couid descend, It was tho flooding of Iho shaft which drovo tho fumes into tho other mines, from wl'ich sixty men havo boon roscnodinastaloofcollapso. S9voral wore restorod with groat difli-

culty. Experienced mon boliovo that the fumes are largely from dynamite, of which a considerable quantity was in tho mine. Noxious gases aro most poisonous in places whore there is no smoke or fire, and tho theory is that the men woro immediately overpoworad when tho gas struck them. A

Others with groat diffioulty managed to make their way to a place of safety. The rescuers displayed splendid heroism, groping blindly in aoarch of .tho missing men,

As soon as the serious nature of the out break was discovered, ttlt the mines in tho block were closed, Tho fire is still burning, A largo body of men are engagod in attempts to check it and sonrch" for tho missing. There aro pathetic scenes when tho dead are brought to the surface. RECOVERY OF FIVE BODIES PATHETIC SCENES AT THE SHAFT t.'r«u Allocution.—iJoujrikhi Brishank, this day Bosidos those proviously naraod, A.Jorban, who wont with tho managor of tho Brilliant mino to show the way to tho soat of tho lire, has lost his life. Fivo bodios have boon rocoyored. The rescue work was hot and dangerous, but there was no lack of volunteers, aud the work was conducted with groat vigour by relays eont down at short intorvah, the othors bocoming exhausted by tho fumes,