Second blast destroys hope
Source: Agencies |
November 25, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A MASSIVE explosion deep inside a New Zealand coal mine yesterday dashed hopes of rescuing the 29 miners caught underground by a similar blast five days ago.
Even if any of the missing men had survived the initial explosion last Friday at the Pike River Mine, police said none could have lived through the second. Both blasts were believed caused by explosive, toxic gases swirling in tunnels dug up to 2 kilometers into a mountain that had also prevented rescuers from entering the mine to search for the missing.
"There was another massive explosion underground, and based on that explosion no one would have survived," said police superintendent Gary Knowles.
The news devastated families who - buoyed by the survival tale of Chile's 33 buried miners - had clung to hope for more than five days that their relatives could emerge alive.
"New Zealand has been devastated by the news that we have all been dreading," Prime Minister John Key said. "This is a national tragedy."
He said flags would fly at half mast today and Parliament would adjourn its session out of respect for the dead men.
Officials said only investigations still to come would confirm the exact cause of yesterday's explosion.
Pike River Coal Chief Executive Peter Whittall said rescue teams were not doing anything that could have set it off. Conditions inside the mine were such it could have happened at any time. "It was a natural eventuation, it could have happened on the second day, it could have happened on the third day," he said.
Family members who gathered for a regular daily briefing on the rescue operation were instead told of the second blast and that no one could survive. Whittal said he began by telling them a team had been getting ready to go underground.
Some people - thinking a rescue was about to start - broke into applause. "I had to wait till they stopped clapping to tell them that the second explosion occurred," he said.
Some relatives collapsed. Others shouted at police in anger.
Laurie Drew, father of 21-year-old miner Zen, said rescuers should have gone into the mine on Friday, saying that explosion would have burned off most of the dangerous gases.
Even if any of the missing men had survived the initial explosion last Friday at the Pike River Mine, police said none could have lived through the second. Both blasts were believed caused by explosive, toxic gases swirling in tunnels dug up to 2 kilometers into a mountain that had also prevented rescuers from entering the mine to search for the missing.
"There was another massive explosion underground, and based on that explosion no one would have survived," said police superintendent Gary Knowles.
The news devastated families who - buoyed by the survival tale of Chile's 33 buried miners - had clung to hope for more than five days that their relatives could emerge alive.
"New Zealand has been devastated by the news that we have all been dreading," Prime Minister John Key said. "This is a national tragedy."
He said flags would fly at half mast today and Parliament would adjourn its session out of respect for the dead men.
Officials said only investigations still to come would confirm the exact cause of yesterday's explosion.
Pike River Coal Chief Executive Peter Whittall said rescue teams were not doing anything that could have set it off. Conditions inside the mine were such it could have happened at any time. "It was a natural eventuation, it could have happened on the second day, it could have happened on the third day," he said.
Family members who gathered for a regular daily briefing on the rescue operation were instead told of the second blast and that no one could survive. Whittal said he began by telling them a team had been getting ready to go underground.
Some people - thinking a rescue was about to start - broke into applause. "I had to wait till they stopped clapping to tell them that the second explosion occurred," he said.
Some relatives collapsed. Others shouted at police in anger.
Laurie Drew, father of 21-year-old miner Zen, said rescuers should have gone into the mine on Friday, saying that explosion would have burned off most of the dangerous gases.
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