MINE DISASTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 16 October 1913, Page 5

MINE DISASTER.

CABLE_ NEWS. (United Press Association— By Electric Telegraph—Copyright).)

SEVEN HUNDRED MEN ENTOMBED. MANY RESCUED. SEVERAL BODIES RECOVERED. (Received October 15, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 14. An explosion occurred at the Universal Colliery at Cardiff. The machinery at the pit mouth was destroyed, and a man who was standing 1 twenty yards away had his head blown off. Seven hundred men were entombed, but later news states tha> H 7 were rescued. Several bodier been recovered. \*S? FURTHER PARTICULARS. WHEN THE DISASTER OCCURRED. (Received October 15, 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, October 14. The explosion shook the neighbourhood, and the noise was heard for a long distance. The explosion occurred at seven in the morning, shortly after the day shift had descended. Rescue parties, doctors, and policemen hurried to the scene. A party with Mr E. Shaw, the manager, descended an adjoining shaft, but were unable to get near the vicinity of the explosion, owing to deadly fumes. There were many heavy falls. The rescuers discovered a number of terribly mutilated bodies. There were heartrending scenes at the pit-head, among r the women and children especially, when the officials .exclaimed: ''There is no hope; the position couldn't he worse." Other rescue parties descended later, and found hundreds of men huddled together where ' the ventilation was still good. The rescuers conducted them to the bottom of the shaft, where the machinery was repaired and so expeditiously that of those entombed, 327 ieached the surr. face by eleven c/clock. ' Five hundred and eleven are now accounted for. The fire is now raging in the west pit. . ' - ' There are thousands of spectators on the mountains watching the scenes. ,< The explosion at the Universal Colliery in 1901 killed eightyrone persons. OVER FOUR HUNDRED MEN - STILL CUT OFF, LITTLE CHANCE OF RESCUE AT PRESENT. (Received Oct. 15, 9.40 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 14. Four hundred and eighty-nine men have been rescued, and 418 are still out off by the fire in the west side of the : pit „ . There is little chance of rescuing the entombecT >nen until the fire has been extinguished. The King has telegraphed: "The Queen and I are appalled at the terrible disaster. We are the more shocked through having visited the district in 1912. We trust the loss of life is not so great as was at first anticipated, and. deeply sympathise with the bereaved. We shall be grateful for particulars regarding the injured." - MEN BLOWN 1 TO PIECES. ■ RESCUE WORK* CONDUCTED ■WITHOUT PANIC. (Received Oct. 15, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 14. Two banksmen,were blown to pieces by the explosion, and a third was killecFby the flying machinery, which was smashed to atoms, the cage being sent sky high. •The full horror of the occurrence was only realised at noon, when the fire broke out. An urgent demand for fire-fighters was made in all parts of the district. ; The Cardiff Post Office sent fifty men by special train. The rescue work was conducted without, panic. The men quietly left the pit in batches of eighteen. Many were unaware of what w'as happening near by. Others rescued were in a pitiable condition, suffering from •burns and shock of the.afterdamp. The first man rescued was so excited and delighted that he was unable to give a coherent account of his experience. The fire was raging at eight o'clock. The rescuers continue their heroic efforts.

MEN TWO MILES IN. j FAINT HOPES OF THEIR \ RECOVERY. (Received Oct. 15, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Oct, 14. The rescuers only penetrated fifty yards into the west side, where the fire is raging. The entombed men are two miles farther in, and there is only the faintest hopes of their safety. One woman has a husband, four sons, and three brothers entombed. UNPARALLELED DISASTER, 400 LIVES AT STAKE. RESCUERS' FEARLESS WORK. (Received Last Night, 11.55 o'clock.) LONDON. Oct. 15. Senghenydd, a village embosomed in a quiet Welsh valley, was the scene of a disaster unparalleled in Britain, if the worst fears are realised. Nine hundred and thirty-five ,men descended the pit at six in the morning. Two hours later there was a noise, and a terrific) explosion rent the silence of the valley. A great column of smoke shot- from the pit-mouth. The machinery a.t the pit-head was blown to fragments. I heavy iron plates being twisted into

grotesque shapes, and scattered W every direction. The explosion occurred at the west pit intake airway, a hundred yards from the bottom, and down past the shaft, and was followed by the fire. The ctojy hope for four hundred miners lies in the possibility of a heavy fall of the roof, cutting off the fire. A thousand miners flocked from the adjoining districts to succour their comrades. The resellers fearlessly descended the blazing pit.