MINE ACCIDENT

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXX, Issue 8494, 27 July 1933, Page 2

MINE ACCIDENT

Cage Crashes Down No. 2 Shaft DROP OF THOUSAND FEET TWELVE MEN INJURED REMARKABLE ESCAPE FROM DEATH FINE RESCUE WORK

Twelve men who were being lowered down No. 2 shaft at the Waihi mine shortly after 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon had a remarkable escape

the same way.” Workers at levels between that at which the cage broke loose and that at which it came to rest state that they heard a terrific roar, and that candles in the levels were extinguished by the draught created. CAUSE OF THE MISHAP? Questioned as to the cause o£ tbs mishap, the superintendent of the Waihi mine, Mr H. W. Hopkins, stated that all that could be said at pr;sent was that a start was being made to wind the men down. One cage was going up at the same time. The down cage carried 12 men and for some reason not yet ascertained broke away and did not come to rest until it reached a point 30 feet above No. 13 level, a distance of 1450 feet below the surface. He thought thecage broke away from the vicinity of No. 5 level, 500 feet from the surface, and considered it must have fallen at a terrific speed. As yet no information was available as to ■ what checked the speed of the cage before it came to a halt. Had it stopped suddenly the jolt would have been sufficient to kill the men. It had been suggested that the cage caught the end of a flat sheet and that eased the fall and caused the loops to loosen and the grips to part. The whole circumstances, added Mr Hopkins, would form the subject of an exhaustive enquiry, but for the moment no further information could be given. ALL DOING WELL Enquiries made just before we went to press show'ed that, with only one or two exceptions, the ten patients had spent a good night. None of the men was regarded as being in a serious condition, and all appeared to be out of danger and making as good progress as was to be expected in the circumstances.

from death when the cage in which they were descending broke away and hurtlded several hundreds of feet down the shaft until it came to rest just above No. 13 level, about 1450 feet below the surface. Had the cage gone on unchecked to the bottom of the shaft the impact would have been terrific and not an occupant could have survived. All twelve I were injured, but none was critically hurt. THE INJURED MEN The names of the men and the nature of the injuries are:— William J. Taylor, 47, compound fracture of right leg and fracture of left leg. John H. Gordon, 51, fracture of leg and fracture of ribs; possible fractured spine. Herbert W. Butler, 26, compound fracture of right leg. William R. Kemp, 23, fracture of right leg; injury to right knee. Ray W. Johnson, 35, fracture of right wrist. Harry G. Comes, 24, concussion and scalp wounds. Samuel Hamilton, 48, lacerated foot; possibly fracture of foot. Leonard J. Coward, 44, fracture of left leg; possible fracture of bone of right foot. Cyril F. Thornton, 25, injuries to both feet; possible fractured rib. John Arnold, middle-aged, injuries to heel. Jack Follas. 23, minor injuries. The two last-mentioned men did not require hospital treatment, It was stated late last evening that, whilst none of the cases were regarded as critical, those most seriously injured were Taylor, Gordon and Butler. Mr H. Mills, who was in charge of winding operations at the time of the accident, was admitted to the hospital suffering severely from shock. In addition to those injured in the falling cage, Mr E. Shergold, who was ascending in the cage in the adjoining compartment of the shaft, received leg Injuries.

ANXIOUS CROWD GATHERS News that there had been a serious accident at the mine soon spread, and it was at first thought that several fatalities had taken place and it was not long before hundreds of anxi ous people gathered round the top of the shaft to await the bringing up of the injured. Weeping women and girls, fearing the worst, were among the number, and it was not until G o’clock that they received the unofficial but reassuring news that there had been no fatalities. A few minutes later the first of the men, Mr John Arnold, was brought to the surface. He was able to step out of the cage unassisted, and as he did so he was greeted by relieved cheers, and the crowd felt easier when he gave out tho information that none of his fellow-workers had suffered any grave injury. Others followed at intervals, the last man being brought up shortly before S o’clock. Despite the assurance of Mr Arnold, the tepsion was not definitely relieved, however, until a message was received |rpm the rescue party, headed by th§ mine manager, Mr J. L. Glimour, and the assistant, mine-manager, Mr W. Morrison, which had made its way through from No. 4 shaft, about 500 feet from where the cage crashed in No. 2. It was then found that the cage had come to a stop between the No’s. 12 and 13 levels, about 300 feet from the bottom! workings. The cage was suspended about 30 feet above No. 13, and the members of the party had to make th.eijr way pp the ladders, lift tho hood pf the cage, pass the men out through the info § “bpsun’s chair,” and lower them down to No, 13, where Drs. L. R. Hetherington and E. H. Bridgman, with stretcherbearers, were waiting to attend to tho injured.

BLOOD SMEARED VICTIMS

After being tended by the doctors,

whp wove gjven every assistance by members "of the ,§t. John Ambulance Brigade, the victims of thp gecidenl had to be carried out on stretchers via No. G shaft, to No. 4, a journey of approximately a quarter of a mile. When they arrived at the brace (top of the shaft) eager crowds sought their names and the nature of their injuries; and although some of the rescued appeared to be in sorry

plight, with their blood-smeared limbs" and face/), all seemed to recognise and gi’eet' th I 4jF I ’trlpa'd|. despite their injuries, fyerp '"eVeh facetious, and one young man, being carried pick-a-back to the dressing shed, waved to the crowd as he puffed at his cigarette. Another, one of the worst hurt, on reaching the dressing shed, called for a drink. He was handed a glass of water, but asked, with wry face, “Haven’t you got anything stronger than that, mate? It won’t help much.” This remark was typical of the spirit in which the men accepted their misadventure. Asked what his feelings were as the cage was falling, one man said: "We had no time to think. She went with a bang, and all I konw is that I felt lucky to be alive when she pulled up. 1 think my mates felt J