The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-12

LONDON, April 11-While a coal mine
near Point-y- Pridd, Wales, was in full blast
today spark from an engine fired the gas
in the mine and caused an explosion.
Terrible havoc followed and it is believed
that hundreds have persisted,
There were 800 men in the mine at the
time. The engine house caught fire from the
explosion and lessened their chances OF eS-
cape. The rescuers who went down were
driven back, without being able to bring
mp more three of the dead. The most
lgonzing scenes were witnessed among
the crowd of men, women and children,
who quickly gathered around the mouth
of the pit.
The pit is worked in sections. one above
the other. The fire resulting from the ex-
plosion broke out in the eastern section.
from this section seventy men succeeded
in reaching the surface through the main
dip workings led by miners who knew the
roads They had terrible struggle to get
out, forcing their way through fire and
smoke. Many Of them were scorched, and
all were terribly exhausted, when they
emerged in safety. They brought no good
news as to those who were left behind.
but, on the contrary. expressed their dread
that ali those left in the mine had per-
ished.
At 9:45 o'clock this evening it was still
impossible to obtain more than meagre
details of the accident. At the entrance
shaft a rescuing party was soon formed
by the pit surveyor The party got as far
as the landing at the seam where the fire
started but was driven back almost i'm
mediateIy by the dense smoke issuing
from the seam. Again they went down
and forced their way ten Yards into the
workings They found four dead bodies
which they brought back with them. At
tempts to go further into the workings
were in vain, as the woodwork was burn
ing and large masses of material were
falling from the top of the mine. One OF
the rescuing party who ventnred too far
vas killed.
The men who saved themselves immedi-
ately after the fire broke out were too
much confused and frightened to observe
the positions of their fellow workmen.
They were unable to give any clear ac-
count of the distribution of the miners,
and the work of rescue must therefore
proceed under all the difficulties of uncer-
tainty There are plenty of volunteers to
undertake the work of rescue as soon as it
becomes possible. At present the flames
and smoke around render any such under
taking vain, if not fatal to the party
making the descent There Is but little
doubt, moreover, that most, If not ali, of
the men left below have been suffocated or
burned to death.
Hand grenades, barrels of water and
pipes attached to the fire engines On the
surface are being used TO extinguish the
flames in the mine. In two sections the
fire WAS put out, but the extinction of the
flames has been followed in each case by
an accumulation of gas, and it is feared
that explosions may follow shortly.
Another attempt TO enter the seam in
which the fire started has proved result
less. Although the reScuers saw six dead
they were prevented by the smoke and
heat from reaching them. Where the fire
had been eXtinguished they We're also I'M
able 10 make any progress, as they could
not remain in the foul atmosphere. The
number of men still in the mine cannot
be ascertained. There is little hope
that some of them have found refuge at
such distance from the burning sections
that they are still alive.
At midnight the fire was again burning
in ali directions in the mine Near the
shaft the service pipe which was used to
pour water into the mine has burst. The
difficulty Of quenching the fire has in-
creased greatly, and the rescue OF the men
below is regarded us hopeless.