WYALONG DISASTER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1338, 16 January 1912, Page 5

WYALONG DISASTER.

FURTHER PARTICULARS. SIX MEN DROWNED. 8j releirranh -Press Assaciation-Copyrletil Sydney, January 15. There are six men dead at West Wyaloiig. Their names are:— ■ Godfrey Maguire. Robert Navin. John Navin. : '■'" '' ' Ruport Nicholson. John Mulhall. William Cunningham. The disaster was quite unexpected. -' It was not suspected that the mine contained foul air. It is supposed that an explosion of rack-a-rock released k pocket of foul gases. The inrush must have teen sudden, as most of tlie bodies were found a few feet from where the men had been working. Cunningham, with Abo Wellington, managed to crawl out of the foul zone, and was rescued with difficulty. Cunningham afterwards succumbed. Wellington is in hospital in a serious' condition. • . ■ ' The funeral of the victims was the largest in the district. All of the deceased/ except ■ Cunningham, have left wives and young families. INQUEST OPENED. ■ (Hec. January 15, 9.10 p.m.) -v... ; : ' Sydney, January 15. - The inquest lias opened, and it was stated that the men were leaving work. The ■usual shot was put in, and the men withdrew. Apparently the old workings were broken into, causing a rush of gas. Wellington escaped the full force through being in the cross.cut. The alarm was given by a brother of one of the deceased, who was working in a different part of the mine. The ■manager, with a relief party, went down,' and found the bodies. Although suffering considerably from the effects of the foul air, the rescuers reDicjycd the bodies to the surface. ' There was a' sorrowful scene at the mine mouth; the wives of the deceased tad to be forcibly removed to.their homes.