Story: Coal and coal mining

The photograph shows one of the first bodies to be recovered from the Brunner mine. The worst loss of life in New Zealand mining history occurred at this mine on 26 March 1896. An explosion was heard at 9.30 a.m. Two men who went underground to investigate were later found unconscious from black damp, a suffocating mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. From about 11 a.m. rescuers began bringing out bodies. Many of the rescuers also suffered from the noxious gases and had to be carried out. The final death toll was 65.

In a radio interview recorded on the 50th anniversary of the disaster, 91-year-old H. G. Griffin, who saw smoke from the explosion while working on the railway close by, recalls the dreadful day. The official enquiry found that the cause was the detonating of a charge in a part of the mine where no one should have been working. However, some experienced miners claimed that firedamp – methane gas produced by coal – had accumulated due to an ineffective ventilation system.

Transcript

When I got over there of course there were men coming down the hill from the Coolgardie.

Interviewer: That was the Coolgardie mine?

That was the Coolgardie mine up above, and Bill Hill I think was the first man I seen come down there. He rushed into there and of course they had to go and fetch him out. They wouldn't allow any men to go in there. Practical miners were going in you see, of course were, I wouldn't think about going into the place like it was.

Interviewer: Was the smoke still coming out then?

Beg your pardon?

Interviewer: Was the smoke still coming out of the mine?

Oh yes it was still coming out, but it got very thin you see.

Interviewer: And did you see the rescue party go in to the mine?

Oh yes, and I saw a lot of them coming in and going out - wasn't in two minutes some of them.