Four Men Trapped In Mine

Rescue Teams Near

Rescue workers at Weetslade colliery, Northumberland, were still trying last night to reach four men trapped in the mine by a heavy fall of stone during the morning. The body of another man was recovered during the afternoon.

The district in which the men are trapped is thought to be 750 ft. below the surface and about a mile and a quarter from the shaft bottom. About 100 men are believed to have been in the pit at the time of the fall.

A statement issued by Mr. R. D. Glass, production director of the Northern Division, stated that a heavy fall occurred near the inbye end of the intake airway of the east district of the Bensham seam at 8 a.m. The cause of the occurrence was unknown, but indications were that there had been an explosion. Later a Coal Board official said that the rescue workers had been able to get over the fall, but were meeting with difficulties because of the presence of noxious gases and water in the return airway.

The names of the missing men, who were engaged on dismantling machinery and equipment, were given as Thomas Whitney, a deputy, of Lansdowne Road, Forest Hall ; Thomas Patterson, of Balliol Avenue, West Moor ; Matthew Charlton, of Office Row, Burradon ; John Fisher, of Glebe Road, Forest Hall ; and John Davison, of Ferguson Crescent, Hazlerigg.

Later last night it was reported that a fresh-air base had been established very near to the scene of the fall and that rescue teams were working from this. Progress was slow, partly because of the heavy equipment worn by the rescue team and partly because of other falls.