The Washington times., 1906-03-11
According to Report the
Casualties May Still
Be Increased.
HEMMED In BY FLAMES
BlaCkened Bodies Brought
To Surface Greet View
of FrenZied Relatives.

PARIS, March 1.-THE latest reports
from Courrieres in regard to the disaster
which occurred in a coal mine there
yesterday, owing 10 an explosion fol-
lowed b. a fire in the mine. states that
i,225 miners are known to have perished.
Seven hundred and ten have been taken
from the mine.
The accident occurred just after the
men had gone 10 work yesterday morn
ing. There were about 800 men in
the mine at the time. and IL is a miracle
that any Of them escaped.
Fire Damp Explosion.
The catastrophe is now attributed 10
an accidental fire. which was followed
by a collapse of earth An explosion OF
fire damp or gas was caused BY the
shutting off of the air.
It is now known that the fire which
was responsible for the disaster had
been smoldering for several days in
No. 5 pit, and il is supposed that the
explosion occurred IN this pit.
The mine caught FIRE in the three priIl-
cipal galleries. aud in a moment the
confiagration ragged through the under
ground passages. The flames burned so
vigorously that they reached the top
OF the shafts
-Four hundred OF the miners were able
70 make their way out OF the mine soon
after the accident happened. Rescuing
parties were at once organized, but II
was & long time before they were able
to approach the shaft IN an endeavor To
carry assistance TO the men below
| Gradually, however. the rescuers ssne<
able TO force their way toward the frs~
I pT1soned miners One hundred and
twenty were taken out within a few
hours after the rescuers got to work.
and later this number was increased 10
800.
Rescue Work Hindered.
The rescue work was stopped in two
Of the shafts. however. The lift lead
ing to gallery No broke, making Il
impossible 10 continue there while the
rescuers in the shaft leading to gal
| lery No. were partially overcome bv
gas which came from the gallery and
had to give up the attempt TO reach
the men who had been cut of. In gal
lery No. 4 the rescuers redoubIed their
efforts. however
There were many pitifui scenss about
the mine during the course OF the dax
The word Of the accident spread quickly
and the relatives Of tho miners beSieRed
the place. 1t was necessary for the
gendaTInes TO establish a Gordon 20 boio
back the excited people in order to keep
them from plunging into the SHIFTS.
AS some of the men were brought =,
the surface the entire crowd would at
tempt to rush forward to see IL their
own loved ones were among those saved.
Some OF the men were badly burned or
otherwise injured. The attempts OF
friends to minister to the unfortunates
caused much confusion.
Blackened Bodies Recovered.
A number Of corpses have been taken
from the mine, and as the blackened
bodies were lifted out the waiting crowd
rushed violently to discover II their rel
atives We're among the number. The
grief of the living for the dead was piti-
full
The rescue work is being pushed stead
fly so that the shafts may all be opene5
again and the galleries explored. The
rescue work is marked by the finding
Of many bodies. with here and there a
miner who had not been overcome.
A thorough investigation is being mada
as the rescuers proceed TO make sure
tAldt no one SRlaAi De overlooked.
Several of the lateral galleries appsr-
emily escaped from the ravaees of the
fire, so there is hope that some OF the
miners were able to take refuge thera
and escape.
1T is feared that there may be other
explosions, however. as the coal I'm the
Courrieres mine abounds in gas. Gas is
found in greater abundance IN this coal
than in any other in France. and the
Courrieres' coal is used at most OF the
gas factories for this reason,