Fatalities.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 26, 1 September 1911, Page 13

Fatalities.

EXPLOSION IN KAITANCATA MINE. GAS ACCUMULATES.

About 1 o'clock on August 23, an explosion, of gas occurred in the Kaita-n----gata coal mine, blowing out one of the stoppings and knocking over two men, Thomas Carson amd Hawkins. The men were stunned for a time, but soon, recovered aoid were able to walk home. The explosion occurred in No. 5 dipi near the main workings, and there were a number of men working in the vicinity. The noise was heard all over the section, and men stopped work and rushed to the pit mouth. The afternoon shift refused to go oni, consequently no tiling was done in tJio mine a-fternoon. The spot where the explosion took place was one of those axeas where bad gases are known to exist. The place was "stopped up" to keep the gases in. There was a blow-out, however, aaid the gas ignited. This occurrence, following on the death of Joseph Carson the previous week and the death of William HcGhee . from a similar cause in May, besides a chapter of minor accidents, has caused many miners to become "scared," ami after the explosion a number declared their intention of seeking employment elsewhere.