COAL MINE ON FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2113, 22 June 1907, Page 2

COAL MINE ON FIRE.

ONE MAN KILLED

TWO OTHERS ENTOMBED.

THEIR RESCUE IMPROBABLE

Press Association. INVERCARGILL, yesterday. A serious fire broke out at a tills morning in the Nightcaps coal mine Three men were cut off, Wilham Duncan, William Carson, and I Walsh. Duncan’s body was recovC 1 It is feared there is no hope'of recoverv of the others alive, inerts cue /arty was unable to enter on account of fire-damp. f li. a Tlio managing director ot til Nightcaps Company states that as the mine nmiiagcr is still in the mine directing the lire extinguishing and rescue operations, full particulars have not yet reached him. The fire is raging near the outcrop, Duncan, who succumbed, was deputy-manager, and was much esteemed by the proprietary. ft« |- cuo parties are hampered by blade damp.

HEROIC ATTEMPTS AT RESCUE,

CAUSE OF THE OUTBREAK. Tho men are doing all in their power to combat the fire and some heroic attempts have been made to rescue the men still missing. All the men are married and have families dependent upon them. Further details show that the fire, which has been troublesome in a slight degree for. some months, suddejily increased in strength at l time when there were only a few me in and about the mine. Some members of the rescue party, who were suffering from the effects of blade damp, received attention at the hands of Dr. Baird, of Otautau, who set out for Nightcaps as soop aa tho oecurance was reported. Duncan, whose body was recovered, has been in the employ of the company for over a quarter of a century and was considered one of the best men it over had. . . , Carson and Walsh,- who had not been rescued by three this afternoon, had worked in the mine for several vears. Mr. McCarthy, S.M., left this afternoon to conduct the inquest. THE BODIES RECOVERED.

INVERCARGILL, last night. Mr. Handyside, managing director of the Nightcaps Coal Co., received word at 9 p.m. that the bodies of the two men for whom parties were searching had been recovered. , Mr. Handyside, with Mr. Green, Inspector of Mines, starts for Nightcaps by Motu first thing in the morning. .