The Huntly Explosion.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 22, 12 September 1914, Page 6

The Huntly Explosion.

"OFF DAY" AT TRE MINE.

THEREFORE FEW MEN AT' WORK

WOUNDED MEN PRESENT GHAST LY APPEARANCE.

|Peb Pbess association.] Hamilton, September 12. Further investigations show that only twenty-six men were working in the pit at the time of the explosion, . which occurred at 7.50' a.m. Fortuna- |. tely to-day is an "off day" at the mine, j the average number employed in this shaft on ordinary days being in the vicinity of a hundred. The regular miners were, therefore, all off ditty, only truckers and general hands being employed below in clearing and straightening up the tunnels. The' first indication that something was wrong was the falling in of timbering. This was followed almost imme- ( diately by a |terrific explosion. Flames and smoke belched forth from the i pit mouth and soon the town was enveloped in smoke. The shock of the explosion blew the cage resting at the bottom of the shaft to the top. while it smashed the galvanised iron sheds aud threw over „>all the men working in the vicitnity of the pit mouth on the surface. The blowing out of the cage fortunately did not damage the winding gear at the pop-pet-head, and consequently the cage on the surface descended as the one from below rose. Six men were ' working immediately at the foot of the shaft when the explosion occurred, and though thrown heavily down,

several being frightfully burned, they helped each other into the cage and rang the surface signal and ascended. On reaching the ground level they were at once removed from the pit-head enclosure and two local doctors dressed tlie wounds of the injured men. They ordered three of the worst to the Waikato hospital, where they were conveyed by goods train, a distance of 22 miles. The three men brought to Hamilton were Alfred Packham, John Jackson, and Alex Izatt, who presented a terrible sight, the head and arms being a mass of scarred flesh which is begrimed with coal.dust, making- it even more ghastly."' How the explosion occurred has not been ascertained. The , men ..were at work below with.': naked acetylene lights, the. mine, whicji wa ( s examined two years ago, ,having been declared one of the'safest.in. the Dominion. A strong rescue, party left Huntly for .the west: end ,at about nine o'clock, but there was a. great snbrta-ge 'of safety lamps which, no doubt, will hamper work. |

TWO BODIES RECOVERED.

FEATURES UNRECOGNISABLE.

GRAVE FEARS FOR, SAFETY, QF

ENTOMBED MEN

Hamilton, September 12., Two dead bodies have'been, recovered •bub they are unrecognisable. , : Grave" fears are entertained for the safety of the 32 men entombed.