Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-09
AVENUES OF ESCAPE CLOSED
Disastrous Fire at the Luke Fidler Col
liery.
One Workman Dead and Four Others
Shut Up I'm the Mine-Rcsult of
a Carpenters Neglect.

sHAMOKIN, Pa, October 9.-One work.
mine with all avenues of escape cut off, and
the most disastrous mine fire ever known
in the western anthracite coal fields, now
raging at the Luke Fidler colliery, is the
result in brief Of a carpenters negligence.
Fffty-five other workmen, who were en-
pioyed In the mine at the time Of the ac-
ctdent. had thrilling escapes, as they were
compelled to grope their way through smoke
and noxious gases In order to reach the
fresh air and safety. The four men who
are still missing have been smothered be-
fore this. as all parts of the big mine are
certainly filled with smoke and deadly after
damp.
The fire started in the airway Of No. 1
shaft late last night, and Irwin Bufiins ton.
whom the colliery officials hold responsible
for the disaster, is dead. His body was not
burned, as death was due to suffocation.
George Brown. a miner. and his Polish
helper, Anthony Bobert a driver boy from
Luke Fidler and another Polish laborer,
whose name Is not known by the mine Off
cials. are in the mine and no hope Is en-
tertained Of recovering them.
The mine Is now a mass of flames end
cannot be approached from any direction.
1t is feared that the inside workings will
haye to be flooded. which means many
months of idleness TO the 900 employees.
Superintendent Morris Williams of the
Mineral Railroad and Mining Company in
formed representative of the Associated
Press that while Irwin Burlington, John
Anderson, jr.. and others were engaged in
retimbering No. 1 shaft, the former dis
obeyed orders by lighting his naked lamp in
the air course for the purpose of testing
the air.
A spark set fire to the timber. that was as
dry as powder, and the current carried the
flames up and down the shaft like lightning
burlington was advised by his fellow-work-
men to make good his escape, but he neg
to the bottom of the shaft in order to ex-
change his gum boots for his shoes
This delay cost him his life and his dead
BODY was recovered in the tunnel about :
o Clock this morning.
Superintendent Williams, Mine Inspector
Edward Brennan. Inside Foreman August
HEIR and Arthur Kennedy and all of the
under bosses at the Fidler and Cameron
mineo formed three relief parties and en-
tered the mine to rescue the sixty i'm
prisoned workmen by way of the coal run
workings through No. 3 airway on the
mountain and down the new shaft The lat
ter opening proved a godsend to the men, as
to this channel most of them owe their es-
cape.
The smoke spread through the inside work
tngs with great rapidity and alarmed the
While the imprisoned men were rushing
through the inside workings in search of an
air shaft for an outlet hundreds Of their
friends gathered about the mouth Of the
shaft, and as the fan house was destroyed
by the flames the cries and means of the
mothers, sisters, wives and children of the
imprisoned employees sent chills through the
hearts Of many hardy miners. who were
waiting for an opportunity to assist their
doomed comrades
Two of the men were overcome by the
smoke while making their escape, but the
Coal Run rescuing party succeeded in car
rying them out and restoring them to con-
sciousness. The gangs of workmen cannot
get to any point near the fire on account of
the smoke and gas. so that the flames can
not be fought with any success.
This mine connects with the Hickory
Swamp colliery Of the Union Coal Company,
and 1t has to be drowned out which will
compel both mines to shut down for a year
or more. Luke Fidler colliery Is oper-
ated by the Mineral Railroad and Mining
Company and gives employment to 900 men
and boys.