LINTON MINE HEROES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 823, 18 November 1929, Page 16

LINTON MINE HEROES

STORIES OF COURAGE AND TRAGEDY INJURED MEN’S SUFFERINGS Press Association INVERCARGILL. Sunday. Considering the nature of the mining disaster at the Linton Coal Company’s mine at Mount Linton on Friday, when three lives were lost, and the difficulty of rescue work, there were many acts that rank as heroic and many sights that were terrifying and extremely pathetic. The love of a father for his son was courageously typified when an old miner who had been working in a i nearby sjiaft rushed into the inferno of smoke and dust in search of his sou, who had been stationed at the bottom of the shaft. Some time later he was seen crawling up the trolley track on liis hands and knees with his son slung across his shoulder. Such a feat required great strength and power of will. That was one of many instances which passed practically unnoticed among the turmoil of tile rescue work. SNOW AND SLEET : Many men who were brought to the surface soon after the explosion had made it practically impossible to live in the main part of the shaft, were speechless on account of the effect of gas, yet they did not wait to recover fully before joining the bands of willing rescuers. Burns gave terrible pain out on the open ground, where the injured were uncovered from I driving snow and sleet, which fell iu- ! cessantlv, and the long truck ride up | to the offices and ambulance were torj ture to the more seriously injured ones. It is impossible to describe the obstacles overcome and the sights witnessed by the searchers for those who were lost in the depths of the shaft. When found. John Chamberlain, whose condition is very serious as a result of extensive burns, was a living torch. His shirt and upper garments were blazing freely, and had the rescuers been a few moments later they would t have been unable to save bis life. STRUGGLE THROUGH FUMES j it was remarkable that there was j not more loss of life. The explosion occurred about half-way down the shaft, so that those who were working at the end were completely blocked from the head of the mine. They alone realise what it was to feel their way, carrying and assisting half or totally unconscious comrades along the trolley rails through thick and suffocating fumes. Such an ordeal as the men engaged in the rescue work went through is one never likely to be forgotten, and deeds so unselfishly performed on behalf of less fortunate fellow workers showed the miners in their true spirit. Robert Ross, who was badly burned about the face and hands, had a fortunate escape from more serious, and perhaps fatal, injuries. He was working alongside Antonio McCoy, and left his mate to get a drill. When the disaster occurred the full force of the i explosion was centred on the spot ■ where Ross had been working just a : moment before, and his mate was ; killed instantaneously.