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On the afternoon of 19 November 2010, an explosion ripped through the remote Pike River mine on the West Coast of the South Island, killing 29 men. Their bodies have not been recovered, and remain in the mine.
Underground coal mining has always been a dangerous occupation. In addition to the risk of asphyxiation and the danger of falling coal, there is the threat of an explosion of methane gas, which is continuously expelled by coal seams and becomes potentially explosive when mixed with air. Mines must have good ventilation to prevent methane building up.
Since coal mining began in New Zealand, there have been 211 recorded deaths from nine separate explosions, the most recent at the Pike River mine. Although the coal company’s management believed that their mining methods, using modern technology, were both safer and more efficient than those used in the past, the explosion on 19 November 2010 bore a tragic resemblance to previous coal-mine explosions.
The report of the subsequent Royal Commission of Inquiry revealed a combination of errors within the mine, including inadequate methane drainage, non-functioning gas sensors, flawed electrical and ventilation design, and inaction on hazard warnings. These failings were compounded by the failure of government regulatory authorities to effectively inspect the mine and act to remedy the problems. This article was written to mark the fifth anniversary of the explosion at the Pike River mine. The human tragedy cannot be undone, but it is hoped that documenting the events leading up to the disaster will help future generations to avoid making similar mistakes. These events are recorded in the report of the Royal Commission and in a book by investigative journalist Rebecca Macfie, Tragedy at Pike River mine: how and why 29 men died.
More @ https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/pike-river-mine-disaster
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