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Biodun@bbcnews.com

Friday, 19 November 2010

New Zealand miners missing after explosion
Topic: new zealand miners, louise heal

Auckland : New Zealand | Nov 19, 2010

BY BiodunIginla

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1 of 3

The start of production at the mine last year had reportedly been delayed by problems

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19 November 2010 Last updated at 05:46 ET Share this page

by Louise Healy for the BBC's Biodun Iginla

Ministers said they would put whatever resources were needed into the rescue

Twenty-seven miners are missing after an explosion at a remote coal mine on New Zealand's South Island.

The mayor of Greymouth, about 50km (30 miles) south-east of the Pike River mine, said the situation was "pretty serious" but rescuers were on hand.

However, concerns about the possibility of another explosion have delayed attempts to enter the mineshaft.

There has so far been no contact with the missing miners, whose friends and relatives have gathered at the scene.

Earlier, two workers walked out of the mine with moderate injuries.

'Charred trees'

The explosion at the Pike River mine is believed to have happened at around 1530 local time (0230 GMT).

Police said an electrician had gone into the mine at 1550 to investigate a power failure and 1,500m (4,920ft) into the shaft he discovered the driver of a loader who had been blown off his machine. He then raised the alarm.

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Mayor of Grey District Tony Kokshoorn: "At the moment we cannot contact the miners"

They and one other miner later emerged safely from the mine and told officials that three others were also making their way to the surface. However, there has been no contact yet with the second group of miners.

The operator of the mine, Pike River Coal, said that 27 workers remained unaccounted for - 15 of its staff and 12 local contractors.

Its chief executive, Peter Whittall, also denied that a body had been found.

"I've not had any reports of that at all," he said. "We've had two miners who've walked out of the mine and they're currently being spoken to and treated on the surface. We've had no communication with anyone else underground at this stage."

The two miners who emerged earlier had moderate injuries, Mr Whittall said. They are being treated at the hospital in Greymouth.

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Peter Whittall, Pike River Coal mine chief executive, says two miners emerged after the incident

Mining experts said it could have been a methane gas explosion, a coal dust explosion, or a combination of both.

A TVNZ cameraman who flew over the scene said it looked like there had been a massive blast. There were charred trees, smoke rising over the area, and a cabin had been blown away, he said.

'Dreadful situation'

Specialist mine rescue crews, ambulances and helicopters rushed to the mine as soon as the blast was reported.

However, the helicopters were later sent back to their bases, when it became apparent that the rescue effort might take days.

Police spokeswoman Barbara Dunn said rescuers were still assessing the safety conditions inside the mine, and making sure the ventilation system was functioning as there was a potential for a build-up of gas.

Until that happened, it was unsafe for rescuers to enter the mine, she added.

"They're itching to get in there and start looking for other people and a bit frustrated at having to stand and wait," Ms Dunn told the Stuff news website.

Mr Whittall said every worker at Pike River carried a "safety rescue device at all times including a breathing apparatus with oxygen".

"The men are between 2 and 2.5km inside, but because the mine drills into the side of the mountain they are probably only 120m below the surface," he said.

"The issue for the rescue team will be to ensure that the ventilation underground is adequate for them to go in and find the men."

Mr Whittall added that the men might not be trapped, because they were trained to seek a place of safety and await rescue.

Mining Minister Gerry Brownlee said the government would put whatever resources were needed into the operation.

"Their priority will be getting people out," he added. "I certainly feel very sympathetic to [their] families. It's a dreadful situation for them to be in."

'Slow recovery'

Greymouth's Mayor, Tony Kokshoorn, told me at the BBC that the friends and relatives of the missing miners were "hanging on to hope".

Continue reading the main story “Start Quote

Everybody knows what they are doing, but it's just a patience game”

End Quote Tony Kokshoorn Mayor of Greymouth

"The rescue crews are doing a magnificent job. They are well trained for this and are doing everything they can. But this is going to be a very slow recovery," he said.

"Everybody knows what they are doing, but it's just a patience game. We've got support people everywhere. We've got families starting to arrive at the scene. We're just consoling them at the moment. We're setting up places for them to go.

"We're all hoping that everything will turn out all right, but it's looking pretty serious at the moment," Mr Kokshoorn added.

The Pike River mine, which employs some 150 people, has been operational since 2008 and runs deep under the Paparoa Ranges on the rugged western coast of South Island.

It accesses the Brunner coal seam via a 2.3km (1.4-mile) tunnel under the mountains, which then branches out into sub-areas.

Pike River is on the opposite side of the Paparoa Ranges from the former Strongman State Mine, where an explosion killed 19 miners in 1967.

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hoorn, Mr Whittall, Barbara Dunn, river mining, Gerry Brownlee, New Zealand, disasters-news, Auckland, Sago Mine disaster, Mine rescue, Grey District, Anderson County, tennessee, mining, Pike River Coal, Pike River mine

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