FIRE PUTS COAL MINE OUT OF ACTION

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1947, Page 7

FIRE PUTS COAL MINE OUT OF ACTION

° ress Associaiion

By Teleurav'i-

I X \ Elb'A IU i l,L, I-ei). 11. The production oi" coal at the Linton ("ompany's Ohai niine lias been Ktojjpcd for an indeihiite period. A lire, which swept the winch house and otliei* buildings late 011 Sunday uight, did extensivc dainago. in spite of the efforts of eiiij)loyees and local re.sidents, aiul nitieli valuablo niaehinery ,vas desti'oved. Two lire (i'-l'ters wero injured when a blaxing rocf and olevating belt, under which they wero working' colla j >c( L on to]> of tiieni. - ? Tlioy weri!: — L'dward ("onnell L 'llaltonui, aged .'13 (Nightcaps), severelv ihutred and adnntted to SotM hland Hospital. He began work only on Satunlay morning after an absenee "1* three years -be--eause of illness. Andrew Colligan (Nightcaps), niine menager, who sulf.'red siight injuries. The lire started about 11 p.m., and

by 11.30 the buildings, whicli were about a mile and a half from the head of the pit, were blazing tiercelv. (Irease was stored in oue of the sheds and the bursting of einpty drums eiubingered the lives of those near the lire. Ttie water supply was drawn from the Wairaki mine stream, two or three chains away, but in spite of elforts to get it under eontrol the lire raged for several iiours. The wineli and winch house and mosjt of the other gear were destroyed, and the weighbridge was also lost-, but the screens and elevating belt which were in the same house were saved. The eause of the outbreak has not been ascertainqd, l>,ut (t prpbal^ly began on ' the foadihg platform, or i'n tfre boiler house, whieh is beside the platform. The pit head is on orie side of a valley about a mile wide, and the screens are on the other side. There was 110 lire in the seam itself.