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escape shaft

British  

noun

  1. a shaft in a mine through which miners can escape if the regular shaft is blocked

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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Passageways with power generators and an air-filtration system led to an escape shaft in the countryside.

From BusinessWeek • Aug. 24, 2011

When drillers finally opened the escape shaft, Franklin writes, cooler air caused the rock walls to contract, destabilizing the entire mine.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 28, 2011

The crowd in "Camp Hope," down a hill from the escape shaft, set off confetti, released balloons and sprayed champagne as Urzua's capsule surfaced, joining in a rousing miners' cheer.

From The Guardian • Oct. 14, 2010

Rescuers finished reinforcing the top of the 2,041-foot escape shaft Monday, and capsules descended flawlessly in tests.

From Salon • Oct. 13, 2010

It means the walls of the escape shaft being drilled have to be strengthened with cement before work can continue.

From Children's BBC • Sep. 2, 2010