MINE WORKER FATALLY INJURED.
A fatal accident occurred yesterday morning at the Linton Coal Mine. A full box of coal ran over the jig-head, and severely crushed John McLeod, a married man, aged 60 years, who suffered a fracture of the right thigh and several broken ribs. He was conveyed in an ambulance from Ohai to the Southland Hospital, but died at 5 o’clock. -Evening Star, 14/1/1936.
FATALITY IN MINE
EVIDENCE AT INQUEST
HEARING ADJOURNED
(From Our Correspondent.) An inquest into the death of John Donald McLeod, miner, who was killed in a mine accident, was held at Nightcaps before the Coroner, Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M. Senior-Sergeant Kelly represented the police, Mr H. J. Macalister appeared for the relatives of the deceased, and Mr J. Hughes, inspector of mines, Dunedin, represented the Mines Department.
Thomas Duncan, miner, Nightcaps, stated that he entered the mine as usual at 8 a.m. on January 13. He met the deceased at the working face and commenced work with him, working until 11 a.m. Deceased was making preparations, by boring a hole, to fire a shot and the hole was finished before 11 a.m. When the shot-firer, Thomas Thompson, arrived Thompson and deceased made further preparations, witness keeping on filling coal. When the shot was ready to be fired witness asked Thompson to wait until a full box of coal was brought down. The box was run down six or eight yards to the top of the jig at the top of the incline, the box being run to within one foot of the tap. The box was secured by one sprag in the back wheel, but witness could not say whether any block was placed across the line. Deceased was with witness at the box and went up to take down a ladder used in their work. Witness then went to another place one chain down the incline. Deceased stopped half-way down the incline and witness did not see deceased again until after the accident. The only protection was the place witness had gone into. The shot was then fired by the shotfirer and brought down a fall of coal and after a short pause more coal fell. Witness then heard a box running on the incline and next heard Thompson calling that someone was under a box. Witness rushed to see who it was and found deceased under an overturned box at the bottom of the incline. The box was a full one. Thompson and the Grant brothers were also on the scene. From then on everything that could be done for deceased was done and he was removed from the mine. It would be six feet from witness’s place of safety to the line and the place was screened off. Visibility was clear at the bottom of the incline when witness appeared. The sprag in the back wheel of the box would not hold the box owing to the steepness of the incline.
Witness Examined.
To Mr Macalister: It was witness’s first day in that particular section. It was usual to receive instructions when going into a new place, but witness did not know if deceased received any. Witness was on hand when Couchman arrived to lift the rails and heard him speaking to deceased. Witness had no recollection of the shot-firer asking if everything was all right prior to firing the shot, but it was probable that he would ask that. Witness did not consider the full box was properly secured.
To Mr Hughes: Twelve boxes had been filled on the morning of the accident and run down the incline by the jig by Craig, a trucker. Witness had no specific instructions that the jig was not to be used and was under the impression that it was quite in order to use it. Witness could not say whether any blocks were on the box when it was lowered, but witness did not place any. Witness was there when the locality was examined the following morning and remembered the search for a block. It was not found.
To Mr Reed: Deceased would have had a better chance if a block had been used.
The Coroner: It is only a matter of commonsense that a block should have been there.
To Mr Macalister: It was usual for one man to be the leading hand and deceased was the leading hand in their party.
Thomas Thompson, employed as acting deputy and shot-firer, said he entered the mine at about 8.30 a.m. and went to No. 4 section where deceased and Duncan were working. He went to McLeod’s gallery to inspect an overhanging shot left from the previous cable. It was considered necessary to bring this down and deceased proceeded to bore a hole, witness going on his round and returning at 10.45 a.m. Witness connected his cable and also warned nearby miners, Duncan, Sizemore and the Grant brothers. When witness fired the shot deceased was standing in front of witness on the empty line on the incline. After one fall of coal there was a pause, then another fall. Witness then heard a box running on the incline. Deceased was a few yards in front of witness, but must have gone on to the full rood when the box started running. Witness just saw the box as it passed and deceased was running in front of the box trying to get clear. The box must have caught deceased and carried him to the bottom of the incline where he was found beneath the overturned box. It was a double line jig.
To Mr Macalister: Witness remembered asking if everything was all right before firing the shot, but he could not say whether any reply was received.
Working of Jig.
To Mr Hughes witness said he had only been appointed deputy on the morning of the accident. Witness was aware that the jig was working as a jig and had received instructions from Wilson, an underviewer, who had said it was intended to break the rood about two pair of rails back. As far as witness could see the men were in order to work the jig. It was a shot-firer’s duty to see that all persons nearby were in places of safety before firing a shot and as far as the actual shot was concerned these persons were safe. Witness was not in a position to see a stop block on the box, but knew of the regulations requiring blocks to be used.
James Hunter Grant, a miner employed in the Linton mine, gave evidence that he had received warning that a shot was to be fired at 11 a.m. on January 13 and went to a place of safety until the shot went off. Witness heard a second fall of coal, but did not see deceased or the box until assisting after the accident. The visibility was not too good owing to the amount of coal brought down.
Robert Craig, a trucker at the Linton mine, and Robert Wilson, who was acting as underviewer at the Linton mine on the date of the accident, also gave evidence. In reply to Mr Reed witness said it was a fact that there should have been two blocks in use.
The inquest was adjourned to Invercargill where’ the evidence of Dr McNickle, superintendent of the Southland Hospital, will be taken. -Southland Times, 7/2/1936.
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