"The Mine's Afire!": The Diary of Tommy Carter is the twentieth book in the My New Zealand Story series. It was written by two authors, Susan Battye and Thelma Eakin. The book was published on April 19, 2009 and was followed by Sharon Holt'sNo Survivors.
"Tommy Carter is a typical boy living in the West Coast mining community of Dobson in 1896. He catches eels in the Grey Valley creeks, plays the cornet in he local band, and looks forward to the day when he will leave school and get a job. However, Tommy is not keen to follow his Uncle Fred down into the Brunner mine, with its hardships and ever-present danger. One terrible day, Tommy's worst fears come true when an explosion rips through the mine. This fictional diary records the tragedy, heroism and bitter aftermath of New Zealand's worst-ever industrial disaster."
"The authors wish to acknowledge the support and guidance of the historian, Brian Wood. Brian's history of the disaster, Disaster at Brunner (1996), has informed much of our writing."
Notes[]
The portrait on the cover was taken by Grant Ramsdale of the child model, Jordan Trainor. The background is a photograph licensed from the Brian Wood Collection.
