tinpan
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History
On the 2nd May 1914 at approx. 10pm an explosion occured at the 1053 feet level No. 13 of the Great Extended Hustlers Mine .
All of the staff working on that level of the mine were killed. They numbered seven.
This was the most appalling accident in the history of the Mine .
The men started their shift at 3pm that Saturday and as the normal practise for the mine were due to finish their shift at 10.30pm .They were working on driving a level about 700 feet from the main shaft and extending a crosscut. There were four machine men [drillers] and three shovellers and truckers .
Near the end of the shift 32 holes had been drilled and preparations were taking place to charge the holes ready for blasting . The midnight shift were due to complete the remainder of the firing. It was at stage the disaster took place.
The first indication of the accident to the men on the surface was the lifting cage in the west compartment of the shaft being stopped above the 1053 foot level. The air pipes had burst and all the air was running out of the receivers at the surface at the same time.The compressor was over running .
The other men working on the lower levels of the mine heard an explosion and a little later were being over come by fumes. They could not get out to the surface owing to the blockage in the western compartment of the shaft made impassable.
The engine driver One Mr A Dickson disengaged the winding rear on the west and used the single winding gear and cage from the east compartment., to lower men down to inspect the mine. The first men down were Mr R. Reed [underground manager] and Mr J. Hocking [ pit man]
Mr Reed searched through the cross cut and North Level ,through broken air lines and water pipes , dust and fumes. He located three bodies which were unrecognisable .
He ascertained that there no chance of saving lives at the 1053 level , they processed to get the men from the lower levers being worked.They were the 1226 feet No. 15 and the 1326 feet No. 16 level. From the two levels worked below the explosion 10 men were rescued.Some these men when reached were suffering badly from fume inhalation.
Between 2 am and 4 am a search party brought the seven bodies to surface .The bodies were shrouded in bags and taken to the surface in a upright position.
The Explosion Theories
1 That when making the primers an ash from a cigarette or pipe fell into the detonator
2 That the detonator may have exploded whilst been pressed by pliers or drill.
3 The packet of gelignite may have been thrown down carelessly with force.
4 That a stone may have fell from the top of the crosscut amongst the detonators in the explosive compound.
In history of mining in this area more than 250 miner have killed in accidents,
After the first big heat of summer i managed to get out to the site of the mine and mainly worked through the graded mullock ore left over from nearly 100 years ago. Three species with gentle touch of natures treasure.
Finds of the day and past and present pic of the site
tinpan
History
On the 2nd May 1914 at approx. 10pm an explosion occured at the 1053 feet level No. 13 of the Great Extended Hustlers Mine .
All of the staff working on that level of the mine were killed. They numbered seven.
This was the most appalling accident in the history of the Mine .
The men started their shift at 3pm that Saturday and as the normal practise for the mine were due to finish their shift at 10.30pm .They were working on driving a level about 700 feet from the main shaft and extending a crosscut. There were four machine men [drillers] and three shovellers and truckers .
Near the end of the shift 32 holes had been drilled and preparations were taking place to charge the holes ready for blasting . The midnight shift were due to complete the remainder of the firing. It was at stage the disaster took place.
The first indication of the accident to the men on the surface was the lifting cage in the west compartment of the shaft being stopped above the 1053 foot level. The air pipes had burst and all the air was running out of the receivers at the surface at the same time.The compressor was over running .
The other men working on the lower levels of the mine heard an explosion and a little later were being over come by fumes. They could not get out to the surface owing to the blockage in the western compartment of the shaft made impassable.
The engine driver One Mr A Dickson disengaged the winding rear on the west and used the single winding gear and cage from the east compartment., to lower men down to inspect the mine. The first men down were Mr R. Reed [underground manager] and Mr J. Hocking [ pit man]
Mr Reed searched through the cross cut and North Level ,through broken air lines and water pipes , dust and fumes. He located three bodies which were unrecognisable .
He ascertained that there no chance of saving lives at the 1053 level , they processed to get the men from the lower levers being worked.They were the 1226 feet No. 15 and the 1326 feet No. 16 level. From the two levels worked below the explosion 10 men were rescued.Some these men when reached were suffering badly from fume inhalation.
Between 2 am and 4 am a search party brought the seven bodies to surface .The bodies were shrouded in bags and taken to the surface in a upright position.
The Explosion Theories
1 That when making the primers an ash from a cigarette or pipe fell into the detonator
2 That the detonator may have exploded whilst been pressed by pliers or drill.
3 The packet of gelignite may have been thrown down carelessly with force.
4 That a stone may have fell from the top of the crosscut amongst the detonators in the explosive compound.
In history of mining in this area more than 250 miner have killed in accidents,
After the first big heat of summer i managed to get out to the site of the mine and mainly worked through the graded mullock ore left over from nearly 100 years ago. Three species with gentle touch of natures treasure.
Finds of the day and past and present pic of the site
tinpan
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