New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-12
TWO HUNDRED MEN KILLED.
EXPLOSION IN A BELGIAN CoLLIERY.

JIFrY-sIX OF THE 270 MINERS IN TIE PIT RES
CUEp - PRACTICALLY no HOPE OF THE
sAPETY OF THE MEN STILL ENToMBED.
Brussels, March ll.--An accident occurred to-
day in the Anderluis Colliery. near Charlero,
which it rs feared will result in great loss Of
life Two hundred and seventy men We're working
in gallery 400 feet below the surface when
there was a terrific explosion of fire-damp. Forty
of the miners escaped by means OF the second
shaft, and sixteen others have been rescued. hav-
ing received probably fatal injuries The cage
and the ventilatOr at the mouth OF the pit were
shattered by the explosion. The destruction OF
the ventilator adds element of great danger to
the situation. The latest official estimate
places the number of the dead AT 200
The explosion occurred at o'clock this morn
ing The shock caused by il rescmbled an earth
quake, and the ground for large area In the
region of the colery rocked and trembed for
several seconds Houses were shaken, to their
foundations, windows were smashed and crock
ery and other articles of household ware were
thrown about and broken. Almost before the
trcmbngs caused by the mighty explosion had
entirely died away the people began to rush
from their DWELLINGS, and crowds OF excited men,
women and children nOcked to the mouth of the
pit Almost every family in Che place had rea-
tive or friend among the men employed in the
mine
As soon as the deadly fumes which had been
:llshing up the shaft in sitting volumes had been
dssipated and it was thought that the pit could
lie entered with some degree of safety willing
band of hundreds of brave men volunteered TO
descend into the abyss and begin the work or
rescue. Arrangements were quickly completed
for making thorough search of all the chambers
ard galleries in the mine, and the first band of
q
chorus Of prayers
The searchers had 10 proceed with much caution.
rs the hnge pile of rubbish which continually
barred their passage had TO be removed before
any advance could be made.
There was a long interval of suspense before
q signal was received from below by the watchers
at the mouth of the pit that the rescuers mad
reached some of the miners and were ready 10
have them hoisted up. The cries and prayers of
the crowd were rcdoubled as the men at the
windasses at length completed their work ana
the limp and blackened forms of from thirty to
forty Of the miners were disclosed to the stralning
eyes of the weeping multitude. All the Nc'lms
were either dead or badly injured, and the face OF
each was fearfully disli2lred great sheet OF
flame must have swept through the mine, as tnc
hair boards and eyeiashes of all the unfortunate
men had been completely burned OH, ana 'h'"
bodies were badly burned. .
The crowd surrounding the mouth of the plt
had constantly increased in numbers as the day
wore on and as the news of the catastrophe spread
throughout the surrOunling country Inc laiSc
force OF gendarmes which had been hurried
20 the scene WAS almost unable 10
cope with the unrcaSOnlng crown
Of the men thus far brought out OF the mine
alive. only few are likely 10 recover
The noXioUs gases which still prevail IN the
mine, owing TO the Vcntiator being destroyed by
tie explosion, greatly retard the work OF the
1escning parties From the condition of the mine
as reported by the lifesavers, hardly shadow
of hope is entertained that any OF the miners
who are still entOmbed can survive. -
The Ministers of Iusbandry and Public WORKS
are at the scene Of the disaster and are person
ally directing the operations Of the rescuerS.