TERRIBLE MINE EXPLOSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 207, 21 August 1908, Page 2

TERRIBLE MINE EXPLOSION.

SUIINES AT THE FITS MOUTH. London, August 19. l'atnolie m-enej w«ro witnnwva at I lie pit b mouth. The place was thronged with frmied relatives and frionds of the entonibed men. Special life-saviag aw j gangs ot rescuers were >eni Irani Howa ilridgo and Altott. Three men escaped "live by walking tliio..gU the Wigan Junction colliery. They encountered many obstacles, lioavy fails of coal having conic from the roof. Twenty bodies lmvo been recovered, .MINE i'UU, Oi' I'i.ADLlr' VAPORS. I'JA.I'LOUEKS' JIKKOU. WORK. NARROW JvSCAPK OK 524 OTIIKB AllNEltN. nrEous ro.siiio.NS oe doomed MEN. UOLLljiUlf I'KOt'ERlA' CONSTRUCTED AND FITTED. Received 20, 10.16 p.m. London, August SO. Explorers report that mutilated Limb* are scattered in all directions. i'U mine is full of deadly vapors. The fire is still burning and interfered with th« 1 operations of the exploration party. | Hie exporers weru almost overcom* I last night. They reeled on reaching the surface.

A l'Urih of smoke at midnight impended operations. The disaster occurred while the ihifU were changing. Of W0 below 524 had stopped work and ascended U> t4u? surface. The position of the corpses found yesterday indicated that the ill-fated minors wero making their way to tW pit shaft when they were overtaken bji the tire following the explosion. Souti had tl'ieir arms across their faces.- The corpse of one of the succumbed was to" an attitude of prayer. | The Maypole colliery was properly f constructed and fittvd with all tile l&t* est appliances.