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Catastrophes on rail, rivers and land

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Lake Coleridge

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Kā Kōrero o Waikirikiri Selwyn Stories

Lake Coleridge tunnel tragedy

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NameLake Coleridge tunnel tragedyDescriptionThe second intake tunnel at the power station was undertaken at a very bad time as 1925 was a very wet year and the hillside became waterlogged and consequently unstable. The water had damaged the timbers lining the tunnel. On Friday 2 October at about 6.30am the supports gave way and the tunnel was inundated with tonnes of shingle and mud.

Of the nine on the shift four were far enough away to escape but five men were missing; Hugh Daley, Gordon Archer, Archie Macfarlane, Archie McDonald and Richard Green. Rescue work began immediately and by 4.30pm a small pipe driven through the fall enabled rescuers to speak to Hugh Daley and Gordon Archer. Tea, brandy, candles and saveloys were pushed through a larger pipe to the men while digging work went on without pause by up to thirty men working in fifteen minute shifts. Forty hours after being entombed the two men were reached at 10.50 on Saturday night. Sadly the three other men Archie Macfarlane, Archie McDonald and Richard Green did not survive and their bodies were buried under tones of timber and shingle. It was only after two weeks of determined and dangerous work that they recovered the body of Archie Macfarlane, four more days until that of Archie Macdonald was found and another four days until they finally found Richard Green. A combined memorial service was held at Lake Coleridge on 2 November 1925.

DateFriday 2nd October 1925

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