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COLLIERY EXPLOSION.
350 MEN EfjTOMBED.
NO HOPE OF RESCUE.
LONDON, 22nd December.
Praclieally.no hope is entertained of the-
rescue of the miners entombed in the Pre
toria pit at Bolton, in Lancashire. The
fiery explosion swept the five sections of
lhe mine: As the exits were blocked by
the falls of earth the miners ' are en
trapped.
Tile explosion occurred at 8 a.m. yester-
diiyi It shook the neighborhood, and was
hoard for' a distance of live miles: A pillar
of flame ' shot up the shaft to a great
height. Owing' to" the mine being on fire
the rescuers descended the Arlcy pit, which
adjoins the Pretoria. They were unable
to proceed far, but they rescued seven' men
alive, and also found ten dead bodies. The
bodies were mutilated and burned. There
were 367 men in the Pretoria pit at the
time of the explosion and 440 in the Arley
pit. All the latter were got out safely,
hut many of tliem were suffering from the
effects of poisonous gas.
...At 11 a.m. canaries were lowered into
tile Pretoria pit in order to ascertain if
the air was fit to breathe. As they were
alive when brought up rescue work was re
sumed. The rescuers, who descended in
patent helmets to prevent them breathing,
the poisonous fumes, found that they could
not reach the scene of the explosion, as the
roofs had fallen in. The machinery under
ground was destroyed by the falls of earth,
and the mine has been wrecked.
TWO RESCUERS SUCCUMB. ;
The rescuers penetrated for a distance
of 200 yards, and extinguished . several'
small lires which broke out after the ex
plosion. '. Two of the rescue party Suc
cumbed to the poisonous gas. Ouc of them
had been trying to save his. two sons, who
were entombed. The presenoe of after
damp in the pit destroys the hope of rescu
ing alive, any of the 350 men who are in
the mine.
FORTY CORPSES FOUND.
During last night the rescue parties
found ;40 corpses, and brought them to the
surface. Painful scenes have occurred at
the mouth of the pit, where the relatives
of 'the entombed men have been waiting for
news. The Bishop of Manchester arrived
on the scene, and, surrounded by weeping
women and children, he prayed for the
safety of the men below.
- It is supposed that the explosion was
caused' 'by a match or a defective lamp.
No electricity shots were used in the
mine.
His Majesty King George has telegraphed
a message of sympathy with tire relatives
of the victims.
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