Underground Fire in the Caledonian and Golden Crown Workings.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4587, 17 September 1883, Page 2

Underground Fire in the Caledonian and Golden Crown Workings.

At about half-past ten o'clock yesterday morning smoke was observed to be issuing from the Caledonian No. 2 and the Big Pump shafts, and from the quantity coming up it was evident that some timber in the workings had got alight, and was smouldering away. The pitman at the Big Putnp (Phillips), as soon as he observed the smoke, at onCB went to the Caledonian mine, knowing that it must have come down that shaft to reach the JSier Pump. The manager of the Deep, Level Cross, Mr Coutts, was soon on the scene, and in company with the manager of the Caledonian arid Phillips, decided to go below, | and, if possible, find out the origin of the i fire. They descended by the Tookey shaft, and proceeded along the level to the No. 2 chamber of the Caledonian shaft The smoke here was very bad, and there was also a large quantity of gas in the air. This gas was not of the description usually met with in the mines here, but resembled the fumes arising from burning charcoal—which are exceedingly poison~ ous — proving that . the fire was amongst the old timber. The party then climbed up the footway to No. 1 level, but here the gas and smoke were mor« powerful, and they were totally unable to do any exploration. Mr Hicks attempted to go into the main crosscut south from the chamber, but was so overcome by the gas that he had great difficulty in climbing to the surface; and it was some hours before the effects passed off. . Nothing more could be done during the day, but in the evening Mr T. A. Dunlop. manager of the Golden Crown,'went all through the workings in his mine which are now in use, but could j not discover any fire, though the levels j were more or less full of smoke, 'and in places the was very bad. The gas and smoke also spread to the Waiotahi, which it entered through the Manukau winze, and none of the men in the night shift were able to go to work By this morning the smoke had abated considerably through all, the workings, and the Waiotahi men went on as usual ; some of the Crown and Caledonian hands were enabled to do the same. The men working at the 640 ft level of the Big Pump were stopped last night, but started again this morning. Mr Hicks this morning went through the Caledonian Company's present workings, and found them quite clear of gas and smoke, which was, however, issuing in considerable quantities from a drive at No. 1 level which connects with the Golden Crown and Caledonian old stopes. There is also a drive here in which Lewis and party, tributers, are working, but as they left "the mine at noon on Saturday, and the company's men passed the drive seven hours later, and noticed no smell of fire, it is not probable that the smoke came from that direction. It is extremely probable that the fire was caused by the spontaneous combustion of the timber in the old stopes, but though it is certain that it originated—and still exists —close to the Caledonian and the Golden Crown boundaries, the exact locality has not yet been discovered. The ground adjacent to the dividing line between the claims is very warm, and timbers have been taken out of it so hot, that it was not comfortable to touch them. Mr Dunlop made another inspection of the Golden Crown workings to-day, but though he was able to net nearly to the boundary, he was not able to see anything of the 'fire. Volumes of smoke and gas are corning up a winze sunk from the 100 feet level through the old stopes, and which has communication with the Caledonian stopes, in which such large quantities of wood were stacked as filling years ago. This favors the opinion that the fire 13 inside the Caledonian boundary. Mr Hicks and some others were also at No. J level this afternoon, but could not discover anything more as to the seat of the fire owing to the large amount of gas in the drives. It may be mentioned that Lewis and party, the tributers referred to above, on Saturday last while driving came upon a stack of timber. It is possible that this, on the air getting to it, has caught alight, and is now emitting the smoke and gas. The best way of extinguishing the fire appeailito be to carry in a water-pipe along the Golden Crown 100 ft level, and to flood the old stopes from the winze leading down to them. Nothing can, however, be done, with the exception of smothering the fire as much as possible, till the gas abates somewhat, as at present it is impossible to get near the seat of the fire. The Waiotahi men had all to leave work early this afternoon, owing to the gas rising, and those in the Caledonian and at the 640 ft. level, had also to stop.