The Lawspeaker
11-19-2010, 11:57 AM
New Zealand mine explosion leaves dozens missing (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/nov/19/new-zealand-mine-explosion-missing)
Rescue operation begins to find 27 men after Pike River coal mine blast near Atarau in the South Island
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/11/19/1290147561581/Pike-River-Coal-Mine-New--005.jpg
The Pike River coal mine in Atarau, New Zealand where the explosion took place.
A rescue operation is under way to reach 27 coal miners missing in New Zealand (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/newzealand) after an explosion at a remote mine on the west coast of the South Island.
Five dazed workers stumbled to safety after the blast at around 3.45pm (2.45am GMT) at the Pike River coal mine near the town of Atarau. Two were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Rescue workers initially held back from entering the mine because of fears of further explosions. But specialist teams had now entered the mine to test the air quality (http://www.3news.co.nz/Pike-River-explosion---updates/tabid/423/articleID/187070/Default.aspx), according to New Zealand's 3 News.
"Going into a mine after the power's been off for two or three hours requires mines rescue people to make sure it's safe for them before they look for our people," Pike River's chairman, John Dow, told reporters.
"It has the potential to be a very serious situation," said John Key, the New Zealand prime minister, adding that the government would do what it could to support the families of the missing men.
"Our hearts and thoughts go out to them [affected families] at this time. It will be a very worrying time for them," the New Zealand Herald quoted him as saying (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10688759).
The mine's chief executive, Peter Whittall, said 27 people were missing. One of the missing men was named as Milton Osborne, a councillor in Greymouth (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4365223/Rescue-for-trapped-West-Coast-miners-could-take-days).
Whittall said the operation to reach the men would be different to the rescue of 33 Chilean miners last month.
"We're not a deep-shafted mine so men and rescue teams can get in and out quite effectively, and they'll be able to explore the mine quite quickly," he said.
Earlier, Tony Kokshoorn, mayor of the nearby town of Greymouth, said: "It's not good news at all. We don't know at what depth the explosion is but there's certainly a big explosion. With a bit of luck, things might be OK."
Police said the electricity in the mine went out shortly before the blast which was powerful enough to blow one driver off his machine in a deep tunnel. Mine safety expert David Feickert said a gas explosion was a possible cause.
"There are different kinds of explosions that can occur in a coal mine – methane gas, coal gas and so on," he said. "If rescue teams can go in, that's good news indeed."
The mine reaches 1.4 miles (2.3km) underground and produces high grade coal for export to be used primarily in steel production.
Pike River has been operating since 2008, mining (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/mining) a seam that holds the largest-known deposit of hard coking coal in New Zealand, with 58.5m tonnes of coal in-ground, according to its website.
The company says its coal preparation plant at the site is the largest and most modern in New Zealand and processes up to 1.5m tonnes of raw coal a year.
The blast occurred near the site of one of New Zealand's worst mining disasters. An underground explosion in the state-owned Strongman mine on 19 January 1967 killed 19 workers.
Rescue operation begins to find 27 men after Pike River coal mine blast near Atarau in the South Island
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/11/19/1290147561581/Pike-River-Coal-Mine-New--005.jpg
The Pike River coal mine in Atarau, New Zealand where the explosion took place.
A rescue operation is under way to reach 27 coal miners missing in New Zealand (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/newzealand) after an explosion at a remote mine on the west coast of the South Island.
Five dazed workers stumbled to safety after the blast at around 3.45pm (2.45am GMT) at the Pike River coal mine near the town of Atarau. Two were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Rescue workers initially held back from entering the mine because of fears of further explosions. But specialist teams had now entered the mine to test the air quality (http://www.3news.co.nz/Pike-River-explosion---updates/tabid/423/articleID/187070/Default.aspx), according to New Zealand's 3 News.
"Going into a mine after the power's been off for two or three hours requires mines rescue people to make sure it's safe for them before they look for our people," Pike River's chairman, John Dow, told reporters.
"It has the potential to be a very serious situation," said John Key, the New Zealand prime minister, adding that the government would do what it could to support the families of the missing men.
"Our hearts and thoughts go out to them [affected families] at this time. It will be a very worrying time for them," the New Zealand Herald quoted him as saying (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10688759).
The mine's chief executive, Peter Whittall, said 27 people were missing. One of the missing men was named as Milton Osborne, a councillor in Greymouth (http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4365223/Rescue-for-trapped-West-Coast-miners-could-take-days).
Whittall said the operation to reach the men would be different to the rescue of 33 Chilean miners last month.
"We're not a deep-shafted mine so men and rescue teams can get in and out quite effectively, and they'll be able to explore the mine quite quickly," he said.
Earlier, Tony Kokshoorn, mayor of the nearby town of Greymouth, said: "It's not good news at all. We don't know at what depth the explosion is but there's certainly a big explosion. With a bit of luck, things might be OK."
Police said the electricity in the mine went out shortly before the blast which was powerful enough to blow one driver off his machine in a deep tunnel. Mine safety expert David Feickert said a gas explosion was a possible cause.
"There are different kinds of explosions that can occur in a coal mine – methane gas, coal gas and so on," he said. "If rescue teams can go in, that's good news indeed."
The mine reaches 1.4 miles (2.3km) underground and produces high grade coal for export to be used primarily in steel production.
Pike River has been operating since 2008, mining (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/mining) a seam that holds the largest-known deposit of hard coking coal in New Zealand, with 58.5m tonnes of coal in-ground, according to its website.
The company says its coal preparation plant at the site is the largest and most modern in New Zealand and processes up to 1.5m tonnes of raw coal a year.
The blast occurred near the site of one of New Zealand's worst mining disasters. An underground explosion in the state-owned Strongman mine on 19 January 1967 killed 19 workers.