COLLIERY ACCIDENT.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 690, 21 June 1870, Page 4

COLLIERY ACCIDENT.

A terrible colliery accident happened on April 8 near Bafcbgate, the centre of a district where colleries and mineral oil distilleries are numerous. It was discovered about half-paai eleven o'clock in the morning that the up-cast shaft at Starlaw Shale , pit was on fire. The up-cast and down-cast shafts are contiguous, and the men tending the furnace at the bottom of the shaft had noticed the ventilating shaft on fire, and had, as they thought, put out the flames. Shortly afterwards, however, it was seen that the woodwork of the up-cast shaft was on fire. The underground manager was informed of the fact, and he caused the colliers who were at work to be summoned. There were then 56 men in the pit, and before they were assembledat the bottom of the downcast shaft, the framework at the mouth of the pit was all on fire, and the woodwork of the down-cast shaft was becoming ignited. On the surface, the alarm had spread, and the engineman had sent the cage down the down-cast shaft, and within less than ten minutes forty-nine out of the fifty-six men had been brought up. The engineman was in imminent danger of burning, for the colliers were literally drawn through the flames. It was impossible, owing to the flames and smoke, to see when the cage was at the top or at the bottom, and the engineman i was consequently guided solely by his guage. The last man but one who was brought up was actually brought up and sent down again without being seen, and was brought up all but insensible. The cage was then red hot, and he was most severely burned. Another man broke his leg in leapingfrom the cage, and is not likely to live. When at last it was found that no more came to the surface, attempts were made to extinguish the fire. After great labor this was accomplished, and a search made in the pit for the missing men. They were found lying about in 1 different directions on their faces, only one being in the least burned. It is the opinion of medical men that death was caused by want of air, the flames in the shaft haying actually exhausted the air in the pit. Six out of the seven dead men. were, married,, and five of them leave large families. It is stated that while the men were being drawn up, the rope attached to the cage took fire, and the men were watching expecting every moment that it would break. The pit belongs to Simpson and Co., in which Mr M'Lagan, M.P.> is a partner. Great excitement exists in the district.