COAL-MINE FIRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2114, 24 June 1907, Page 3

COAL-MINE FIRE.

INQUEST OPENED. Press Association. INVERCARGILL, Saturday. An inquest opened on the victims of the Nightcaps mine accident before , (Mr. McCarthy, S.M., and was adjourned. Carson and Welsh s bodies i wore found near whore they worked,1 and a medical examination showed l they had been dead some hours. All c jk.-ho woro ovoreomo in the rescue, work recovered at intervals. Youterj day a cloud of choke-damp hung over the town. - HISTORY OP THE MINE. ’ DUNEDIN, Saturday. The Nightcaps mine has been working for 24 yoars, and up till tho present it has boon remarkably froo from serious accidont, although a small outbreak of spontaneous combustion occurred in 1905. Tho total output of the mine since its beginning lias been about 500,000 tons of brown coal, tho annual output at present being approximately 45,000 tons. Tho mine is worked from an adit, and there are throe seams of lignite on the property, tho top and middle seams being about loin thick, and the lower seam 12ft. The inino is owned by tho Nightcaps Coal Company, registered at Invercargill. HISTORY OP THE OUTBREAK. MAN KILLED WHILE RESCUING OTHERS. KIKE WELL UNDER CONTROL. INVERCARGILL, last night. The Southland Times correspondent advises that over since the Nightcaps mine caught fire over four vears ago tliore has been liioro or less trouble keeping it in check. About midnight preceding the tragedy the fire became troublesome, and by (i a.m. had got out of control. ; Dense volumes of smoko issued from the workings. At 7 it was reported that four men were entombed. A rescue party was organised about * 7.45. They reached the bottom of s tiie dip with great difficulty, and c found Jnrdine (who tried to remove 1 Duncan’s body) lying nearly dead be- v tween the rails of the road. Dun- 1 can’s body was found a few yards c away. In a further search two or { f three members of the search party " were overcome by damp, and had to f be carried out. 1 The soarch for Welsh and Carson , had, therefore, to be abandoned until airxould be pumped into tho mine. , At 7.30 p.m. the search was resumed. 1 Welsh was found lying face down. He had beon bleeding at the nose, in- . cheating a heavy fall. His trousers - were burnt in one place, and ono log was slightly charred.

j Carson’s body was found a little further up the dip. Both had evidently been on their way out when the damp overpowered them. Dundan died trying to save others, and Jardine nearly died trying to save Dunca.n.

Pitiful scenes occurred round the 'it’s, mouth, where tho women were •aiting, and crowds gathered. The fire is still burning, but the orkers are hopeful of stopping it.