TUNNEL COLLAPSE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10035, 4 May 1910, Page 5

TUNNEL COLLAPSE.

DUGGAN AND DOYLE.

SILL ENTOMBED

BUT ALIVE AND WELL.

EXPECTED RELEASE AT NOON

TO-DAY

Received 11.50 p.m. GREYMQUTH, May 3

Messrs Beemer, Baird, Pitts and Bray, were brought into the Grey Hospital from Otira, this evening. The injuries tf Betmer are considered serious. The two entombed miners, Doyle and Duggan, are in communication with outside by means of the air pipe, and are well. It is expected they will be rescued by noon to-morrow. They are being led regularly by means of the air pipe, and can converse with the rescuers, who are working hard in fuur shifts to release them.

All the injured ars cheerful, and doctors and nurses are in constant attendance M'KEICH'S STORY.

By Telegraph—Press Association CHKISTCHURCP, May 3.

James M'Keich and James Shaw, who were brought into Christchurch from the sc?ne of the 'Jtira tunnel accident last evening, appeared to be suffering a great deul, but both kept up well under the strain of the long journey, and gave inieresting statements.

M'Keich, who is lumel "b is?,". has sustained a severe »cut on tl.e head from flying timber, while Shaw, a trucker, who was struck by ihe other end.of the timber, ha 3 a broken leg and other injuries.

M'Keich states that th2 accident occurred hbout 9.15 a.m., anr 1 he and his men were then some thrf." chains from the mouth, cleaning up and timbering a portion of "heavy'' work which hatTbeen giving trouble. The lower face is some twelve chains from the entrance, and he does not know how many others were in the farther reaches. The fall was about two chains in length, and has caved in from the top of the hill. It was quite unexpected, and the first in timation was the crashing in of the heavy roof timbers. The root is composed of rotted rock and shingle, and it buried the men at once. A big piece of timber knocked M'Keich about fifteen yards away, rendering him insensible, but saving him from the main tall. Shaw, who was on the other side of the tunnel, was similarly treated by the other end of the beam. M'Keich has no recollection of what happened afierwarde. He says the other four men beside himself were buried. A man named George Pitts, of Bendigo, was buried by a later fall. Pitts was at breakfast, but hearing of the disaster, he rushed to the scene and rescued his mate. Claude Bray, whose back was injured. Nj sooner was Bray clear than Pitts was buried to the neck.