Many Men Killed

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20495, 11 May 1938, Page 7

Many Men Killed

60 STILL ENTOMBED EXPLOSION IN A COLLIERY DESPERATE WORK BY RESCUERS I imed Pr. Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright LONDON, May 10 An explosion which occurred in the • i turkm uit 'n as the night-shift of 2«»0 men was coming to th< surface entrapped 123 and injured an unknown number. A second explosion at 8 a.m. led to a decision to seal up the section of the Pit. Twenty men are dead and 60 are *till entombed. Forty-nine were sent to hospital. A rescue team of 100 men equipped with tubes of oxygen is working desperately. sided by some of the rescued men, while sobbing women and girls crowd around the pithead. Those' waiting Include Mrs Grainger, whose husband, son and two brothers-in-law are below. Her husband narrowly escaped death in the 1937 ex- ; plosion when nine were killed. DEATH-ROLL REACHES 72 BODIES TERRIBLY DISFIGURED < United Pres* Assn.—Elor Tel. Copyright) Received May 11. it a.m.) LONDON. May 10 The Markham colliery death-roll is 72, including Mrs Grainger's son. The bodies were so disfigured that only one had hitherto been identified. SERVICE AT THE PITHEAD SAD WOMEN AND CHILDREN PLIGHT OF THE RESCUED 1 'United Pres* Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received May it, j p.m.) LONDON. May 10 With 45 of the 72 dead still entombed jn the galleries of tiie Markham colliery, the Bishop of Derby to-night held a service at the .pithead, j Some women and children have 'been at the pithead for twelve hours, hoping against hope. Among the dead arc a father and .three sons. Some of those rescued do not remember anything after the explosion. Others are so dazed that they do not remember their names. SYMPATHY OF PARLIAMENT INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE STATEMENT IN COMMONS (Omc’al Wireless) (Received May 11, noon) RUGBY, May 10 ! A statement on the Markham colliery disaster was made in the House - by the Secretary of Mines, Captain Crookshank, who said that the explosion occurred in the vicinity of the coal face shortly before 6 o'cloek, when the night shift was t leaving Hie mine. Captain Crookshank added that an • investigation into ttic cause of the disaster would be proceeded with at all speed. The House would Join with him in expressing deep sympathy with II e fai illles and fi lends ot those who so tragically lost their lives. The miners’ representative, Mr J. Batey, a Labour member, in associating the Opposition with the Minister's sympathy, suggested that when the public inquiry took place some independent person should be invited to preside. The usual practice was for a Government inspector to preside at such enquiries. Mr Batey said he . wished to make no reflection on the latter, but made the suggestion as a means of giving the public confidence that all the facts relating to the explosion would be available, for more active steps to find a way of preventing these explosions in coal mines. , Captain Crookshank noted the sugI gestion.