ENTOMBED IN A TUNNEL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 285, 25 April 1913, Page 5

ENTOMBED IN A TUNNEL.

ACCIDENT AT LAKE COLERIDGE. Per Tress Association. Christchurch, Last Xiglit. Early 011 Tuesday morning a fall occurred in the Lake Coleridge tunnel at the outlet end, which resulted in the (entombing of (wo of the workmen, named Sydney Chaining and Peter Petersen, who were rescued after strenuous efforts eight hours later. The fall occurred at a spot that lias been giving trouble since the work started. An alarm was at once raised and a message despatched to the resident engineer. Mr. Kissell, who hurried to the scene of the disaster and took charge of the rescue operations. A gang of men assembled and began to work with might and main to bore through the intervening soil and shingle to reach their mates. Nothing could he heard from the tunnel interior, and it was feared that the men had succumbed. Tiy 8 o'clock a small pipe was driven through to the tunnel, and then the sound of knocking was heard. Efforts were made to speak to the men, but without success. A larger pipe was then forced through, and communication was established before midday, and food was passed through the pipe to the men. Meanwhile the rescue gangs plied pick and shovel, and by 2 o'clock an aperture was made large enough for the men to crawl through, and it was then seen that they had sustained no injury. Work will be started again in the tunnel as soon as the fall is cleared and the roof closed up safely.