ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS
A MINER’S DEATH.
Anthony Francis, aged thirty-nine, a miner employed by the Linton Company, was found dead in a section or the old workings. It is presumed that deceased was overcome by fumes. He leaves a widow and four chilldren. - Invercargill Press Association telegram. -Evening Star, 4/10/1926.
Linton Mine Fatality.
A painful shock passed through the community on Saturday afternoon when word was received that Anthony Fitzpatrick (Tony) Francis had been found dead in the Linton mine. From information received it seems that he was missed from his place and a search was organised. Two miners, accompanied by a deputy, entered an old drive where there was a steep incline. A short distance up the incline a light was shining, which proved to be the electric lamp on the deceased's head, who was lying huddled up. The two miners were proceeding the deputy, and had almost reached the deceased when they were overcome by foul air of some kind and collapsed. Reinforcements being at hand the men were quickly withdrawn and recovered. Efforts to restore artificial respiration to the deceased were continued for about an hour without success.
Why the deceased had gone into this part of the mine, which was some distance from his working place, cannot yet be explained.
Dr McQuilkan performed a post mortem examination, and an inquest will be held.
The deceased, who was 39 years of age, leaving a widow and young family of four, who have the deepest sympathy of a wide circle of friends in their sudden bereavement.
Mr Francis was elected a member of the Town Board at the last election, but had not had the honour of sitting at a meeting, as the first meeting does not take place till next Monday. He was a prominent official on the Medical Association and Miners' Union. -otautau Standard and Wallace County Chrionicle, 5/10/1926.
AN UNUSUAL FATALITY.
COAL MINER’S DEATH. EVIDENCE AT INQUEST.
SUGGESTIONS OF FIRE DAMP.
(Per United Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, October 8. What is nowadays a rare type of fatality was inquired into by the coroner, Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., at Nightcaps today. The inquest was on the body of a miner named Anthony Fitzpatrick Francis, aged 30 years, who was found dead in the abandoned workings of the Linton Coal Company’s mine under circumstances suggesting asphyxiation by methane gas, or fire damp. Constable Boyle, Nightcaps, represented the police, Mr Horace Macalister the Linton Coal Company, and Mr W. A. Stout the relatives of deceased.
A miner named Henry Weir said that on October 2, at about 2.30 p.m., he was informed by a trucker that Francis was missing. Later he met a shot firer at the bottom of the main dip, and the latter organise a party to search the passages. Witness himself went with the shot firer and a man named Crawford through the return airway. When they came to the "undercast” the shot firer asked witness if he saw any footprints. He then noticed distinct marks on the rough white stone steps of No. 2 “undercast.” The three followed on the same path as the footprints, and finally they could see the reflection of a light shining in the rib of the left airway. Witness called out, but did not receive a reply. A few steps further on he made out a man’s boots against the light of an electric cap lamp. Witness called to the others, “Here he is,” and they went up. Francis was lying in a crouched position on his side with his head on the ground. Witness, continuing, said, that when he put out his hand to raise deceased’s head he felt his own body stiffening. He lost consciousness for a moment, and the next thing he knew was that he had fallen into the dross at the foot of the incline. He thought he must have been affected by gas.
Samuel Crawford, another miner, who accompanied Weir and the shot firer into the return airway, corroborated the previous witness’s account. He added that when he went up to the body he seemed to lose his breath, and fell back. He had a feeling of constriction in the head, and it appeared to him the attack was caused by gas. He did not remember much until he managed to get out. Once out of the danger area witness warned the others not to go into this particular part of the mine. He informed a miner named Robertson that deceased was lying on the “upcast,” and a party, includling witness, went inside again. Robertson reached up and pulled deceased out by the legs. The body was taken into a safe place and artificial respiration was employed without result.
To the Coroner: Witness said he neither tasted nor smelt the gas, the only indication of danger being a choking sensation and a pain in the head.
Alexander Russell Malcolm, a shot firer in the mine, gave evidence along lines similar to that given by the previous witnesses. He said that when he approached the body he also “felt queer,” and had to retreat. Weir, who went forward also fell back across witness’s feet. Witness did not see Crawford, but heard him making a strange noise. The party finally went back 6ft or so where the atmosphere was clear. Judging by the effect, witness thought that the gas was fire damp. About 6 p.m., when the place was examined, witness was again present. The air was then clear of gas.
Questioned by the coroner witness said that he could not say where deceased had intended to go. The “overcast" in which he was found led merely to an abandoned working of the mine.
To the Inspector of Mines: Witness said he was carrying an oil flame safety lamp with which he could have made a test tor gas. However, he was affected by the fumes so quickly that he could not do this. He was too ill to think of it when Robertson went back to get the body.
Dr J. McQuilkin, Nightcaps, said that he made a post-mortem examination of the deceased’s body. The cause of death was suffocation, which could have been caused by inhaling an irrespirable gas. Death was not due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
An underviewer at the mine, Kdward Charles, said that on the day af the deceased’s death he had inspected all the working places in the mine. Some time after 11 a.m., witness saw deceased, who was then in his regular place. At about 3 p.m. while on the surface above the mine, he was told Francis had been missing. A little later he received an urgent call from below and set off for the main dip but while going down the shaft he met a shot-firer from a different section, who told him that Francis’s body had been found. Several miners were using artificial respiration, but when witness tried the pulse and heart he found no motion. Some time after witness climbed up the ladder in the intake passage and tested the atmosphere with the result that fire damp was detected, apparently in a moving body. The ventilation in the mine was ample to keep all the workings clear.
George Langford, mine manager for the Linton Company, said he was familiar with the portion of the mine in which deceased was found lying, and knew gas had been found in that “overcast” before, but only at the week-ends, when the fans were idle. The fans were started each night at midnight in compliance with the Mining Act, and were, of course, running on the day of the accident.
To the Coroner: Deceased had no right to go into the “overcast,” as the regulations forbade miners to go away from their working places.
To the Inspector of Mines: On a previous occasion a large accumulation of fire damp mixture, estimated roughly at about 3000 cubic feet, was found in the “overcast." The construction of the place was probably the reason for the gas accumulating.
At this stage the inquest was adjourned owing to the fact that the insurance company holding deceased’s life policy had not received notice the inquiry had commenced. It was agreed to send the company a copy of the depostions before the coroner entered his verdict. -Otago Daily Times, 9/10/1926.
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