FEARFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION IN OTAGO.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 404, 1 March 1879, Page 2

FEARFUL COLLIERY EXPLOSION IN OTAGO.

For the following particulars of the above sad accident, we arc indebted to the Press Agency report: — On Friday morning last a fearful colliery accident took place at the Kaitangata mine, in Otago, through the explosion of gas, resulting in the death of 34 persons, all of whom, excepting two lads, were able-bodied men. Kaitangata is about 40 miles south of Dunedin, and is a few miles from the mouth of the Gintha River, being situated also near its northern bank. Several coal mines are at work there, and the Great South Line of Railway runs through the district. It appeal's that about 9 o’clock on Friday morning a dull, long report was heard by the men working a short distance from the month of the pit, and by the residents of the township. A cloud of dust followed the report. The flight of sticks avid stones at the time of the explosion was 'tremendous, and a thick green smoke like a London fog hung like a pall over the tunnel mouth for about ten minutes. It was this smoke, more than the noise of the report, which attracted general attention. The air was very calm at the time the machinery stopped, and a rusn was made for the pit. In a few minutes nearly everyone in the township was at the mouth of the mine, where a heartrending scene took place, mothers and children filling the air with cries and lamentations. A boy named Edward Dunn, who was at the time entering the drive with a horse, was blown a distance of 150 feet, and died in five minutes. The consternation of those who had husbands and sons tn the mine will therefore be understood. The air in the mine was so had that even Davy safetylamps were extinguished by it. A parly of four men, however—Messrs W. Shore (manager of the adjoining mine), J. Shore, ,M. Hennessy’, and J. Muir—went into explore the mine, and found about 200 yards along the main drive the body of another lad named Charles McDonald. As lie and the hoy who was killed outside were the only two who received any fracture), it is supposed that be was blown some distance.

The mine is entered.by a drive or tunnel. The workings rise as they penetrate the hill, so that while the mine can be worked advantageously as regards the putting out of coal, and facilities of drainage, the fa'll, which carries out water and aids haulage : of coal, causes foul air to accumulate in the upper end of the mine. The ventilation has to travel all round the mine and come back to the air shaft, which is situate at a point about 150 yards from the mouth of the mine. The workings extend back about 500 yards from the entrance, and 350 yards from the air shaft. It appears the gas has- been increasing a good deal lately in the'mine, and several small explosions of fire-damp have lately l- taken place, but these were liable to happen at almost any time, and no fear of general danger was apprehended, so far as they were concerned. There was a slight explosion on the Thursday night in the mine when the men were employed on the nigbt shift. The matter was reported in due course on Faiday morning to the foreman, who considered that i the mine was in good working order. His name was Beardsmore, and he paid for his error of judgment with his life and the . lives of five of his relatives. The present I surmise among those who know best is that Archibald Hodge, manager of the mine, was in’ the waste workings in the highest part of the mine, where the fault is, when the explosion occurred,. It is * supposed that he was making an inspection, and that, his light caused the explosion. , The greater part of the miners were killed to all appearances by the explosion itself. They had escaped the firedamp and were making, for the month of'the mine when they.were overpowered by the afterdamp, as the miners call the foul atmosphere which remains after an explosion. Some or them must have run from one to two hundred yards before they fell. At one point thirteen bodies were found in one heap. The greater number of men were found about 300 yards in front of the mouth. The men worked with naked ; bodies. The}" all carried the usual small

collier's lamp upon the ( pcak of their caps. Air .was first got into the workings about 3 o’ciogk in.the. afternoon, and it-took. half an Upnv after that to drive out the foil) atmosphere before the rescuers could in ake any progress in -exploring. The men worked,hard, persevarihgly, and continuously, with energy, from the time , of explosion to got the foul, air - turned out, hut owing to what is called the hrathec and tjie air atoppingiiavingbeen blown out, they 'omi d not do much for some time, although numerous tradesmen in the town and men not miners woi king in the locality boldly entered into the mine and assisted the few miners. The want of skilled men wksigroatljjjfelt ; but few miners remained alive in Kaitangata after this dreadful occurrence, tiie day shift being the main shift,.only four or five men working at night. Every kindness was shown to the bereaved by the people of the township.