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J LONDON, Sat ( AAP) : Clouds of gas are delaying the rescue of 128
jniners trapped 732ft. below ground in a coal pit in the Knockshinnock
Castle coMiery, Ayrshire.
Earlier, a dramatic message from tunnelling rescuers 'We're
I through' heartened thousands of friends and relatives who had kept
in anxious 34-hour vigil at the pithead.
At 11 a.m. today (Perth time), three hundred yards of gas still stopped the trap
ped men being brought to the surface.
The trapped miners were unable to pass through the gas but the rescuers, experts
fin the use of respirators un
derground, were able to
? jvalk through to give them
-^food and drink,
i Fans were steadily clearing
the gas but it could be moved
jnly slowly. Any attempt to
hasten progress might have
fatal results.
Rescuers reaching the men
found them weak from hunger
and exhaustion after their
long fight to free themselves.
The first trapped men were
?uestioned anxiously about
A he fate of 12 miners earlier
feared trapped in the main
fall of mud, rock and slush.
They are believed to be safe
'm a higher level.
It took rescue teams nearly
24 hours to force a passage
through two miles of gasfill
ed workings until they reach
2d a 30ft. wall of coal and
cock from an old pit.
? Fans had been used to clear
)'he gas, but sufficient remain
Sd to prevent the rescuers
^sing explosives to blast their
[way through the final barrier,
jrhe danger of an explosion
Jwas so great that they could
|aot even use the drilling
Vplant.
While the rescue squads
^vvorked with picks and hand
tools on one side of the bar
vier, the entombed men on
^instructions from the pithead,
also slowly picked a way
i through from their side.
: After a while they could
!hear one another working.
) At 5.30 a.m. (Perth time) an
{airhole was completed through
ithe coal seam. A few more
Iblows from a pickaxe and the
frescuers were able to shout to
faie trapped men.
jp The men were trapped late
%m Thursday when almost a
i5%o7e field sank into the col
\..*ery workings after heavy
\-'.-ain had caused flooding.
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