TERIBBLE COLLIERY DISASTER.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 611, 15 October 1913, Page 5

TERIBBLE COLLIERY DISASTER.

Uy Telegraph..—Press ABSociatioii.—Cojij-rlKht Received this day, 9.40 H.m. London, Tuesday. An explosion occurred in the Universal olliflry at Senghenyd, Cardiff. The machinery at the pit mouth was destroyed, and a man standing twenty yardß away had his head blown off. Seven hundert are entombed Later news states that 327 were res cued, and several bodies have been recovered. The explosion Bhook the neighbourhood, and was heard a long distance away. It occured at 7in the morning, Bhortly after the day shift had descended. A rescue brigade, including doctors and policemen, hurried to the scene. A party with Mr Edward Shaw, the manager, descended an adjoining shaft, but were unable to get near the vicinity of the explosion owing to the deadly fumeß and many heavy falls that had occurred. The rescuers discovered a number of terribly mutilated bodies. Heartrending scenes were witnessed at the pit head, especially among the women and children, when an official exclaimed there was no hope, and the position could not he worse. Other rßßcue parties descended later, and found hundreds huddled together where ventilation was still good. They conducted them to the bottom of the shaft where the machinery was repaired and unwound so expeditiously that 327 of those entombed reached the surface by eleven o'clock. Five hundred and eleven are now accounted for.