The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-04-12

LONDON, April ll,-A spark from an
engine ignited the gas in the coal pit
near PoRt-Y.Pridd, Wales, and caused
the gas to explode, A large number Of
miners were at work at the time and
The explosion caused terrible havoc.
Later accounts from Pont-Y-PrIdd
show the situation to be more appalling
than at first supposed. Three hundred
miners are entombed in the mine, The
engine House is in flames, and there ia
the greatest fear that hundreds may
have perished. The rescuers, who
went down were driven back without
being able to bring up more than five
Of the dead, and the fate OF the other
miners is in doubt, The most aEonizing
scenes are witnessed and the crowds OF
men, women and children, relatives OF
those below, arc crowded about the
mouth Of the coal pit,
At 0:45 o'cock this evening 1t was
still impossible to obtain more than
meagre details OF the accident in the
Pont- Y. Pridd coal mine. The first
alarm was given at 2;S0 this afternoon.
Tho sparks from an engine In four
foot seam are supposed to have ignited
pile OF cotton waste. The flames
spread to the wood work and finally
ignted the intlammable gas in the
seam. Flames and smoke gave to the
200 men who work in tho seam the first
warning OF approaching danger. All
ran toward the landing. Many were
overtaken by the fire and smoke. fell
and were left to their fate by their COM
rades in advance OF them, Compare.
lively few Of the men who were in the
seam at the time OF the explosion
reached the landing.
At the entrance OF the shaft rescu-
ing party was formed by the pit sur.
veyor. The party got as far as the
landing at the scam where the fire
started, but was driven back almost
Immediately by the dense smoke ia-
suing from the seam. The surveyor
took his men back to the surface,
After half hours rest they went
down again and forced their way ten
yards into the workings. They found
four dead bodies which they brought
back with them. Attempts to go fur.
ther into the workings were vain, as
the woodwork was burning and large
masses OF ruins were falling inces-
sanity from the roof. One OF the res.
cue party who ventured too far was
killed. The men who saved them
selves Immediately after the fire
broke out were too much confused
and frightened to observe the positions
OF their fellow workingmen. They are
unable to give any clear account Of the
distribution ofthe miners and the work
OF rescue must therefore proceed under
all the difficulties OF uncertainty. Not
only arc scores of miners families at
the mouth Of the pit, but also the miners
who were saved and the men OF the
other shifts. There arc numerous volun-
teers to undertake the work OF rescue
as soon rs II becomes possible.
At present the flames and smoke
would render any such undertaking
vain, II not fatal TO the party making
tho descent. There is little doubt, how.
ever, that most, ii not all OF tho men
left below have been sutIocated or
burned TO death.
Hand grcnades, barrels of water and
pipes attached to fire engines on the
surface are being used to extinguish the
| flames in the mine. In two sections OF
tho mine the fire was put out. The ex.
tinction OF tho flames has been followed
IN each case, however, by tho NcCumu-
laiion Of gas, and IL ~ feared that OK
plosions may follow shortly.
Another attempt to enter tho scam
in which the fire started has proved re-
sultless Although tile rescue party
saw six dead bodies they were pre-
vented by smoke and heat from reach
Ing them. Where the fire had been ok
tinguished they were also unable to
make any progre's, rs they could not
remnin in the foul atmosphere. The
number OF mon still in tho mine cannot
be a.certained. although II is known to
be we'll above fifty. There is little hope
that some OF them found refuge at snch
distance from the burning sections
that they nrO atill alive.
At midnight tho fire was again burn
ing in all sections OF tho mine near the
shaft. Tho service pipe which was
used to pour water into the mine has
burst.
The difficulties in tho way Of quench.
ing the fro have increased greatly and
tho rescue OF tho men below is regarded
| us homeless.