COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 263, 24 March 1898, Page 2

COLLIERY EXPLOSION.

An explosion has taken place in the Dudley Colliery, near Newcastle, New South Wales. Fourteen men are imprisoned in the mine, and the chance of their he'ng rescued is very remote. Fortunately, owing to slack times, only a few men were at work, otherwise the loss of life would have been much more serious. Tin deputies and others who were constantly descending the pit did not notice any extraordinary smell of gas and no danger was apprehended. l\ was late in the afternoon when the first working party descended to remove the debris and endeavour to get at the entombed miners. It was found that the stoppings used for directing the current of air from the ventilating shaft had been carried by the explosion, thus interfering with the ventilation of the work ; ngs. When thi3 was found to be the case all hope of finding any men alive was abandoned. About 10 o'clock, the body of one of the men was recovered. It was much charred and mutilated, and the bones of the body were much broken. Two other bodies were subsequently recovered from near the main shaft. "The exploring parties report the mine unsafe, the drives showing signs of caving in. The scene around the pit's mouth, as is always the case, is reported to have been most heartrending.