"NO HOPE!"

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 39, 16 October 1913, Page 5

"NO HOPE!"

SENCHENYDD DISASTER. UNPARALLELED IN BRITAIN. [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] [United Press Assooiahon.J London, October 15. Senghenydd, a 'village embosomed in a quiet Welsh valley, is the scene of the disaster, which is unparalleled in Great Britain. If the worst fears are realised, 953'miners descended to the pit at six o'clock in the morning. Two hours later the noise of a terrific explosion rent the silence of tinvalley. A great column of smoke shot up from the pit mouth. The machinery at the pit head was blown to fragments, and heavy iron plates were twisted into grotesque shapes and scattered in every direction. Th< explosion occurred at the west pit intake airway, 100yds from the bottom. down past'the shaft, Jt was followed by fire. The only hope for the UK imprisoned miners lies in the possibility of a heavy fall of roof cutting off the fire. A thousand miners Hooked from'adjoining districts to succour their comrades. The rescuers fearlessly descended the blazing pit. AT THE PIT'S IVSOUTH.

The earliest efforts were directed to saving the men on the eastern side. The corpses sent up were battered beyond recognition, one ivith the head blown off and another with the face torn away. Around the pi' head and mountain slopes groups of relatives congregated. When the first message of "No hope" was received at the surface, heartbreaking scenes followed amoiy the hundred? of stricken tones'. Sixteen bodies wer. brought to the surface, but only tw( were identifiahle. Many miners wer brought up during the afternoon, injured almost beyond hope of recovery. THE RELIEF GANGS.

Through almost impenetrable cloud: of coaldust, the miners at the east pit groped their way to the shaft at nightfall.'* Relief' gangs, after man} reserves, succeeded in getting watei to the fire which is still raging fiercely Frequent small falls of roof retardec operations, and the relays of mcr crept through the smoke and fillec the tunnel's. There was tremendou: heat, but they crawled as near tlr fire ; as. possible. The ; explosion wrecked the ventilating system, cut ting"' off,the .air supply• of, a:large sec tion ! workings: "By -jdghtfai ,40,000 had | -.suvrqunded ; the pithead,. [During the night rescuers found 1" miners alive. It is believed that th fire is now under control. RESCUERS AT WORK. (Received 9.10 a.m.) The first man was'rescued yestei ; day 12Q0 yards from the, shaft. The Lrescuers burst into dlieers upo the fifst.realisation of theuvhopss tha any were Hying. \ .More:. ;reeovere after. long artificial respiration. \ ' " I Proceeding further, the"? resetter found a dozen dead and living horse. huddled together. Another party in the west pit di.6 covered. Bert, Williams, footballer an' local boxer, unconscious amidst ; group of sixteen dead, including a mai and boy clasping hands. 532 RESCUED OUT OF 935. (Received 9.45 a.m.) London, October 15. The nuniber of miners who do scended was 935, and 532 were reset 1 , ed. / Thirty-one bodies were recovered and 372 are entombed. The fire has been extinguished. Rescuers are in touch with twenty nine, who are alive. "HEAPS OF DEAD." ALL HOPE ABANDONED. (Received 10.10 a.m.) London, October 15. The rescuers have seen heaps of dead. There is no news regarding the 2S reported to be alive. The fire has restarted badly, and hope of effecting rescues has been abandoned.