Tweet
17 September 2011
Last updated at 05:40 ET
An appeal has been launched to raise money for the families of four miners killed in a flooded Swansea Valley colliery.
Neath MP Peter Hain urged the public to offer their support after the tragedy at Gleision Colliery, Pontardawe.
The bodies of Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, Garry Jenkins, 39, and Phillip Hill, 45, were discovered on Friday.
Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan has announced an official inquiry.
A website supporting the appeal - www.minersappealfund.org - has now gone live.
Continue reading the main story Analysis
By Nick Servini, BBC Wales business correspondent
The Gleision Colliery employed eight people. It's thought to have produced a few hundred tonnes of coal a week.
The high quality anthracite coal mined here can be sold now for more than £200 a tonne, which has risen by around a third over the past three years.
Mining union officials say although there have been problems with water at the pit in the past, they say that is not out of the ordinary for a mine of this size.
Industry veterans have also spoken of the work being done in small pits of this kind as being relatively unchanged from the work done decades ago because tight spaces make it impossible to get large machinery to the coalface.
However they also said there would still be significant improvements in areas like ventilation inside the shafts.
Phil White, a former director of Tower Colliery, the last deep pit in Wales before it closed, said no matter how much you improve safety "when you are in the bowels of the earth anything can happen".
The events in the Swansea valley have acted as a reminder of an industry which was once dominant in Wales, as well as a stark reminder of the inevitable dangers that accompany it.
Mr Hain told BBC Radio Wales: "Everybody's in a very dark and sombre state but there's a strong feeling that the families should be supported because they have been through hell over the last 36 hours and are facing a very difficult situation.
"That's why a lot of people in the area have got together to launch a Swansea miners appeal fund."
Tragedy struck as the men were working 90m (295ft) underground on Thursday.
Mrs Gillan said: "We must ensure we learn the lessons and find out what happened to these men."
She said the investigation will initially be led by South Wales Police before it is handed over to the Health and Safety Executive.
On Saturday a miners' remembrance tribute is being held at the church hall in Neath Road, Resolven, from 10:00 BST - noon.
The Reverend Peter Lewis, vicar of the Vale of Neath parish, said people would continue to gather to light a candle, pray and leave a message of support and sympathy.
He said the public levels of support are a massive help to the families of the miners.
"I know one of the miners and it was important just to try to help in a situation where they were waiting for information more than anything else and be aware of what was going on and that huge support.
"I think they were very appreciative that there are all these people who are taking a real interest and have concern for them."
Sporting tributes The organisers of sporting events across the region are among those paying their respects to the four men who died, and their families.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
On Friday a minute's silence was held at the Glamorgan cricket ground in Cardiff, where England faced India.
Swansea City FC said they would also hold a minute's silence before the team's home Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion.
Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins: "As I'm sure all the players, management, staff and supporters of Swansea City will reiterate, this is a friendly and close-knit community where someone's loss affects us all.
"Our sympathy goes out to the families who have lost loved ones in extremely sad circumstances."
The Ospreys players will be wearing armbands in memory of the miners at Saturday's game in Treviso. As they play in black they will wear white armbands.
There will be also something arranged for the home game to follow next weekend.
Speaking at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Wales backs coach Rob Howley said: "This tragedy has shaken all of those who are involved in the national team.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the mining community.
"Mining has been a huge tradition and history in Wales and the Welsh Rugby Union players and management's thoughts are with all the miners' families and friends who have been through such a difficult time."
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
Several members of the Wales squad have also tweeted messages of support.
David Lewis, the councillor for nearby Alltwen, said: "In the mining industry over the years, the camaraderie has been there to fight after such a disaster and support people after disasters of this kind.
"The support in this particular community has been immense and I'm sure the support will continue for a long time for those families and I feel very sorry for all of them."
As the hopes of the miners' families ended on Friday evening with the announcement that the fourth body had been found, First Minister Carwyn Jones called for the focus of people's attention to be on supporting them in their grief, and said an inquiry was needed.
Mr Jones said the colliery had been well-regulated.
"As far as this mine is concerned it was inspected last year and the plans were up to date in June."
But he added that "mining is mining" and that Wales knew from its bitter history that even when safety was taken into account there was still loss of life.
The investigation will look at exactly what happened, but mining experts said operating near old workings which contain water was always a hazard.
The incident began at 09:15 BST on Thursday when emergency services were called to the drift mine at Cilybebyll.
Three miners had managed to escape as flood water engulfed the mine's shaft when a retaining wall holding back a body of water underground failed.
One was taken to Morriston Hospital in Swansea, where he remained overnight, while the other two joined the rescue effort.
Water that was blocking the miners' exit was pumped out of the mine, and oxygen pumped in.
But when divers moved into the mine early on Friday the body of the first miner was discovered at the bottom of the main shaft.
The second man was found at lunchtime, believed to be close to where he was working. Police confirmed during Friday that the remaining two bodies had been discovered.
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed | Amazon Plugin | Settlement Statement | WordPress Tutorials
Neath MP Peter Hain urged the public to offer their support after the tragedy at Gleision Colliery, Pontardawe.
The bodies of Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, Garry Jenkins, 39, and Phillip Hill, 45, were discovered on Friday.
Welsh Secretary Cheryl Gillan has announced an official inquiry.
A website supporting the appeal - www.minersappealfund.org - has now gone live.
Continue reading the main story Analysis
By Nick Servini, BBC Wales business correspondent
The Gleision Colliery employed eight people. It's thought to have produced a few hundred tonnes of coal a week.
The high quality anthracite coal mined here can be sold now for more than £200 a tonne, which has risen by around a third over the past three years.
Mining union officials say although there have been problems with water at the pit in the past, they say that is not out of the ordinary for a mine of this size.
Industry veterans have also spoken of the work being done in small pits of this kind as being relatively unchanged from the work done decades ago because tight spaces make it impossible to get large machinery to the coalface.
However they also said there would still be significant improvements in areas like ventilation inside the shafts.
Phil White, a former director of Tower Colliery, the last deep pit in Wales before it closed, said no matter how much you improve safety "when you are in the bowels of the earth anything can happen".
The events in the Swansea valley have acted as a reminder of an industry which was once dominant in Wales, as well as a stark reminder of the inevitable dangers that accompany it.
Mr Hain told BBC Radio Wales: "Everybody's in a very dark and sombre state but there's a strong feeling that the families should be supported because they have been through hell over the last 36 hours and are facing a very difficult situation.
"That's why a lot of people in the area have got together to launch a Swansea miners appeal fund."
Tragedy struck as the men were working 90m (295ft) underground on Thursday.
Mrs Gillan said: "We must ensure we learn the lessons and find out what happened to these men."
She said the investigation will initially be led by South Wales Police before it is handed over to the Health and Safety Executive.
On Saturday a miners' remembrance tribute is being held at the church hall in Neath Road, Resolven, from 10:00 BST - noon.
The Reverend Peter Lewis, vicar of the Vale of Neath parish, said people would continue to gather to light a candle, pray and leave a message of support and sympathy.
He said the public levels of support are a massive help to the families of the miners.
"I know one of the miners and it was important just to try to help in a situation where they were waiting for information more than anything else and be aware of what was going on and that huge support.
"I think they were very appreciative that there are all these people who are taking a real interest and have concern for them."
Sporting tributes The organisers of sporting events across the region are among those paying their respects to the four men who died, and their families.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
I think they were very appreciative that there are all these people who are taking a real interest and have concern for them”
End Quote
The Reverend Peter Lewis
Vale of Neath vicar
On Friday a minute's silence was held at the Glamorgan cricket ground in Cardiff, where England faced India.
Swansea City FC said they would also hold a minute's silence before the team's home Premier League match against West Bromwich Albion.
Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins: "As I'm sure all the players, management, staff and supporters of Swansea City will reiterate, this is a friendly and close-knit community where someone's loss affects us all.
"Our sympathy goes out to the families who have lost loved ones in extremely sad circumstances."
The Ospreys players will be wearing armbands in memory of the miners at Saturday's game in Treviso. As they play in black they will wear white armbands.
There will be also something arranged for the home game to follow next weekend.
Speaking at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Wales backs coach Rob Howley said: "This tragedy has shaken all of those who are involved in the national team.
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to the mining community.
"Mining has been a huge tradition and history in Wales and the Welsh Rugby Union players and management's thoughts are with all the miners' families and friends who have been through such a difficult time."
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote
The support in this particular community has been immense ”
End Quote
David Lewis
Councillor
Several members of the Wales squad have also tweeted messages of support.
David Lewis, the councillor for nearby Alltwen, said: "In the mining industry over the years, the camaraderie has been there to fight after such a disaster and support people after disasters of this kind.
"The support in this particular community has been immense and I'm sure the support will continue for a long time for those families and I feel very sorry for all of them."
As the hopes of the miners' families ended on Friday evening with the announcement that the fourth body had been found, First Minister Carwyn Jones called for the focus of people's attention to be on supporting them in their grief, and said an inquiry was needed.
Mr Jones said the colliery had been well-regulated.
"As far as this mine is concerned it was inspected last year and the plans were up to date in June."
But he added that "mining is mining" and that Wales knew from its bitter history that even when safety was taken into account there was still loss of life.
The investigation will look at exactly what happened, but mining experts said operating near old workings which contain water was always a hazard.
The incident began at 09:15 BST on Thursday when emergency services were called to the drift mine at Cilybebyll.
Three miners had managed to escape as flood water engulfed the mine's shaft when a retaining wall holding back a body of water underground failed.
One was taken to Morriston Hospital in Swansea, where he remained overnight, while the other two joined the rescue effort.
Water that was blocking the miners' exit was pumped out of the mine, and oxygen pumped in.
But when divers moved into the mine early on Friday the body of the first miner was discovered at the bottom of the main shaft.
The second man was found at lunchtime, believed to be close to where he was working. Police confirmed during Friday that the remaining two bodies had been discovered.
Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed | Amazon Plugin | Settlement Statement | WordPress Tutorials