Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-04-12
DEATH IN 4 COAL PIT
Scores of Miners in Wales
 Meet Destruction.
EFFORTS TO SAVE THEM UNAvAlLlNG

All starts from a Spark-TwO Hundred Men Caught Behind the Flames The ln- evitabIe Gas Explosion The Rush to Escape-Many Die of Suffocation-The Dead Can't be Located-Trying to Drown the Fire.
 LONDON, April 12-It is still almost impossible to obtain accurate information concerning the terrible accident in the Pont-y -Pridd, Wales coal mine, which occurred last evening. The latest news re- ceived is that the mine is still burning in all sections of the shaft, and that the ser vice pipe which was used to pour water into the shaft has burst. The difficulties have greatly increased, and the chances of rescuing the 100 entombed miners are growing more hopeless.
 The sparks from an engine in four-foot seam are supposed to have ignited pile of cotton waste The flames soon spread to the wood work, and finally ignited the in f1ammable gate in the seam. Soon followed the inevitable gas explosion, which un- doubtedly killed many instantly.
 Flames and smoke gave to the 200 men dU NOAh III OLS SSOlAA OhO HI SO oAAAAS VI approaching danger. All ran toward the landing. Many were overtaken by the fire and smoke, fell, and were left to their fate by their comrades in advance of them. Comparatively few of tn men who were in the seam at the time of the explosion reached the landing
 At the entrance to the shaft a rescue party was 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 immediately by the dense smoke issuing from the seam. The sur veyor took lis men back to the surface. After a half-hour's rest they went down again and forced their way 10 yards into the workings.
 They found four dead bodies, which they brought back with them. Attempts to go further into the workings were vain, as the wood work was burning, and masses of ruins were falling necessarily from the roof.
 One of the rescue party who ventured too far was 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 are unable to give any clear account of the distribution of the miners, and the
  der all the difficulties of uncertainty.
 Not only are scores of miners families at the mouth of the pit, but also the men who were saved and men of the other shifts.
 There are numerous volunteers to under take the work of rescue as soon as it be- comes possible. At present the flames and smoke would render any such undertaking vain, if not fatal, to the party making the descent.
 There is little doubt, moreover, that most if not all of the men left below have been suffocated or burned to death.
 Every means possible is being taken to put out the fire in the mine. Hand grenades, barrels of water and pipes at tached to fire engines on the surface are being used with varying success. In two sections of the mine the flames were put out. The extinction of the fire has been followed in each case, however, by the ac- cumulation of gus, and 1t is feared that explosions may follow shortly.
 Another attempt to enter the four-foot seam in which the fire started has proved iiultless.
 Although the rescue party saw six dead bodies they were prevented by smoke and heat from reaching them. Where the fire had been extinguished they were also una ble to mako any progress, as they could not remain in the foul atmosphere. There is a little hopa that some of the imprisoned miners have found refuge al such a distance from the burning sections that they are still alive.
 Pont-y-Pridd is village in South Wales, county of Glamorgan, on the Taf River, near Landwit. It has coal and tin works | and makes chains and cables