Recovery Work After Pit Fires: A Description of the Principal Methods Pursued Especially in ...

Front matter

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Preface

The present work deals, in the most concise manner possible, with the actual state of knowledge in relation to recovery work after pit fires. The literature of the subject does not contain much that can serve for the guidance of the practical man, and the pre-- sent is the sole existing work treating exclusively of this branch of the miner's art in its actual state of development.

The author was encouraged to publish this volume by reason of his long experience in various mines and extensive travels abroad. It will be found to commence with dissertations on the origin, indications and means of preventing pit fires, followed by a description of all the best methods of effecting the subsequent recovery work. The examples cited of actual instances in practice, stripped of all superfluous matter, should facilitate the better understanding of same, and better enable the practical man to adopt the most suitable measures in face of an actual catastrophe. Even though the conditions vary in cases of accident, the expert will be able to utilise the ' experience detailed in these descriptions, partly in taking measures for preventing future disasters,

VI PEEFACE.

partly in sorting out proved measures and rejecting such as are unsuitable.

In the case of pit fires, as in war, every possible expenditure of physical and mental power must be devoted to the task of saving life and property.

Sometimies the end is only attainable after great trouble and careful labour, whilst at others a single act rapidly carried out has most important results.

One can imagine the responsible position of a mine manager confronted, at the outbreak of a catastrophe, with the problem whether to increase the speed of the ventilating machinery or to stop it altogether, ' the lives of many hundreds probably resting on his decision. The only way to success in recovery and rescue work is by adopting a suitable and systematic method based on the results of practical experience.

That the present work may, if only to a limited degree, contribute to the solution of this most difficult of all tasks in mining, is the sincere hope of

THE AUTHOR

Kladno, Austbia.

J