FIRE IN MINE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 196, 4 September 1937, Page 7

FIRE IN MINE

-Press Assoclation.)

Outbreak in Liverpool Staie CoIIiery BLAZING PORTION SEALED

(By Telegraph-

GREYMOUTH, Last Night, As ,a rOsult of an outbreak of £re shortly before ten this morning, fhe Kimbell west section of Liverpool State colliery at Rewanui has been completely sealed ofl. .The outbreak Was due to .spontaneoua combustion and a hurried exit was mada by the men working in the section as soon as the flames were discovered. A previous warning was given by a strong stnell. Materials and tools were quickly removed from the Bcene. The section contains bitumous coal with large percentages of gas and the outbreak soon developed into fiereo flames. Throughout the day t)he Stato inines rescue party with the assistance of all the shiftmen, numbering about 40, worked under difficulties to have hktt section sealed off and the work was successfully accomplished just before 6 o'clock to-night. Trouble from spontaneous combustion has been experienced previously in the Kimbell west section of the mine. The superintendent of State mines, Mr. Strongman, stated this evening that in all probability the portion of Kimbell west section sealed to-day would not be reopened. Heating was suspected some months ago at No. 3 and No. 4 banks in the Kimbell east section about a quarter of a mile away from to-day 's outbreak and sealing was necessary at bhe time and no work had been done fchere since. About 30 men are employed in the section affected and it is expected arrangements will be made to absorb them in other parts of the mine. The production from the Kimbell west section is estimated at about 100 tons per day and tho closing of the section will not greatly affect the outpufc of coal produced at Liverpool which is classed as the best gas coal in the Dominion. Up till March Sl, 1936, I Liverpool mine produced in 30 yeara ! 2,698,068 tons of bitumous coal, the (igure for 1935-36* being 124,015 tons. The production lias placed Liverpool third on the list of Dominion collieries, the financial return being tho highest.