FIVE MEN KILLED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1940, Page 6

FIVE MEN KILLED

IN SMALL WEST COAST MINE WORST DISASTER SINCE 192 G. EXPLOSION OF TERRIFIC FORCE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) GREYMOUTH. November 6. Belching 1 forth a column of flame and burned coal dust from the small mine mouth, an explosion at Kaye and Party’s co-operative coal mine, situated on the righthand side of the Ten Mile Bluff, 1 J | miles from the Grey-mouth-Westport coastal highway and .1.0 miles from Greymouth, at 9.30 o’clock this morning, was responsible for the death of four of the seven men employed in the mine and the death of the winchman outside at the mine mouth. The explosion, which was of terrific force, left in its wake a scene of destruction, scattering mine plant and buildings down the gully toward and into Ten Mile Creek, 200 yards away. It was the worst mining disaster on the West Coast since 1926. Nine deaths then resulted from an explosion in Dobson mine. As many as G 5 men lost their lives in the Brunner mine late in last century through an explosion of a similar nature.

The men who today lost their lives were: John Kaye, Senr., aged 56, married, of Dunollie, miner. John Kaye. June, aged 20. single, of Dunollie, winchman. Lindo Colpo, aged 45, of Runanga. miner. Frederick Lew Williams, aged 27. married, of Ten Mile, miner. Alexander Mclntosh, aged 52, married, of Greymouth, mine manager. The injured men, who had miraculous escapes, arc: Adam Boote, Junr., aged 29. married. Ward Street, Runanga. minor. William Burnett, aged 31, married, 25 Nelson Street, Cobden, miner. The only other employee of the mine, Norman Pattison, aged 16 years, horse driver, of Dunollie, was at the bottom of the jig, 150 feet below the mine mouth, and he escaped unscathed. The two injured men, who are now in Grey Hospital, are progressing satisfactorily, suffering from burns and shock and the effects of gas. The explosion is described by employees of the Briandale Coal Mine, which is situated on the opposite side of Ten Mile Creek. BUILDINGS BLOWN TOPIECES. They heard a deafening explosion and then saw a tongue of flame, estimated at 150 feet long, shooting out of the mouth of the drive of Kaye and Party’s mine. The blast was described as a terrific detonation, as of thunder. The explosion carried with it the winch-house and another cabin at the mine mouth, both being blown to pieces and the debris scattered in the gully below. Trees in the neighbourhood were stripped of leaves and branches, while others were singed and burnt by the sudden exodus of burning coal-dust. A sheet of corrugated iron was wrapped around a small birch tree 30 yards away from the mine mouth. . Mr John Kaye, Junr., was employed driving the winch right in front of the mine mouth, and apparently was inside the winch-house when the explosion occurred. His body was recovered, burned and mutilated, almost 100 yards down the gully, with the debris of the winch house. All the other members of the party involved were actually in the mine when the explosion occurred, and in view of the force of the explosion it is remarkable how two of them; Messrs Burnett and Boote, were able to walk some distance out of the mine. EARLY RESCUE EFFORTS. One of the first men to reach the scene of the disaster was Mr W. Parsonage, coal mines inspector for the West Coast. When he was about 50 yards off the mine mouth he was surprised to see one of the injured men, Mr Burnett, staggeri out of the mine, blackened and exhausted. Mr Burnett told him that Mr Boote had assisted him part of the way up the drive, but had then dropped exhausted, but he did not know how far back.

Mr Parsonage immediately went into the mine with a carbon monoxide detector and lamp, and had gone about two chains when he heard a voice. He found Mr Boote seriously affected by gas and shock. The inspector .sought the aid of two helpers, who carried a‘stretcher into the mine and brought Mr Boote out. He was placed under the care of Dr E. H. Densem, Runanga, who had already made Mr Burnett. as comfortable as possible for his journey to hospital.

Shortly afterwards a party from the Dobson rescue station, under the supervision of the instructor, Mr Frank Duffy arrived and, donning full rescue equipment entered the mine to investigate the possibilities of reaching the four men who were known to be still in the workings. Working in teams of five, under Mr Duffy’s personal direction, the rescue squads, who were having their first practical test since the establishment of the Dobson rescue station, made al thorough investigation of the mine, travelling through the smoky black-' ened workings about 10 chains. Other helpers at the mine mouth anxiously awaited their return for news of the men still underground, though the worst was feared.

About 12.45 p.m. the party returned with the information that they had found the four men. all of whom were dead. The cause of the disaster is not yet known, but it is thought that there may have been an explosion of fire damp. Mr John Kaye. Senr., is survived by his wife and a family of five, one son being killed in the explosion. Mr Colpo leaves a wife and three children, who reside in Italy. Mr Boote. who was injured, has a wife and three children, and Mr Burnett, the other injured miner, has one child.

MINISTER NOTIFIED

GOING SOUTH TODAY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The first information he received of

the mining disaster on the West Coast was conveyed to the Minister of Mines, Mr Webb, in an urgent telephone message from the Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr J. G. Young. , Accompanied by the Chief Inspector of Mines, Mr G. Duggan, the Minister will leave Wellington this morning for the West Coast. He said that needless to say the news of the disaster came to him as a great shock, for he had known a number of the men involved over a long period of years, and questioned if a better or more experienced miner could be found in New Zealand than Mr Kaye, Senr.

Mr Webb stated in an interview last night that immediately he received advice of the explosion he contacted Mr C .Strongman, superintendent of State mines on the West Coast, who had only just returned from the mine. He intimated that the mine was a safety lamp mine and could give no idea as to the cause of the explosion.

“The rescue brigade will enter the mine again tomorrow morning for the purpose of adjusting the ventilation which has to be done by natural means in the meantime." Mr Webb said.