LINTON EXPLOSION

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1930, Page 6

LINTON EXPLOSION

CIGARETTE SMOKER

THE PROBABLE CAUSE,

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Jan. 10

The Royal Commission appointed to investigate the explosion in the Linton C'oal Mine last November, when three lives were lost, has submitted its report to the Government. The Commission comprised Messrs W. H. Woodward, S.M.; W. Carson, and J. Smeaton.

The explosion orignated, states the report, in a jig leading to Shaft 0. at or very near the place uffTere the body of Antonio McCoy was found. ■ ‘McCoy,” says the report, “had been engaged just before, with his mate, Ross, in drilling a hole for a shot in the rise shaft, Ross, who was the older man, had left him in order to go to the surface to ascertain how much further the rise shaft had to be driven upwards. McCoy was, for the time being, alone. He was a cigarette smoker, and matches and papers were found in the burnt cardigan jacket which was taken off his body, and bad lain for some hours outside the dressing station. There vere indications that he was not at work at the time he fell.

“While the origin of the explosion cannot Ixj stated with certainty, no likely explanation has been advanced save that McCoy was in some way responsible for igniting a body of gas which had collected in his vicinity.” ■ On the 24th. December the Chairman of the Commission reported to the Mines Department further to the Commission’s report, that when the Commission had concluded its proceedings the members examined the mine, and that he (Mr Woodward) picked u,p a spent wax match in the presence of his colleagues within a few feet of the jig where the body of McCoy was found, and where the explosion appeared to have originated. “This incident was not referred to in the report,” added Mr Woodward. “It supports the conclusion arrived at therein.”

The Commission considers that the explosion was propagated, and extended, from the jig into the other workings by coal dust raised by a violent disturbance of the air. “Had no coal dust been present, or had it been rendered harmless by a sufficient mixture of inert dust or by dampness,” says the report, “we think that the explosion would have been more restricted to the area where the gas had collected, and that the lives of Kitto and Johnston,- at least, would not have been lost. It will be seen, from the above, that there were three conditoins prerequisite to the explosion—a collection of fire damp as igniting agency to explode the same, and insufficient precaution against the propagation of the explosion oy coal dust.”