Time to start talking - what went wrong at Pike River

[Major von Tempsky]

Well, to start the ball rolling I just read a statement by an ex P R miner that it should be, should have been an open cast mine and this wouldn't have happened.

Just 120 metres to slice off the top, not much, and 29 good men would still be alive.

Why was that not done?

Answer: Because of the Greens.

Vote Green for more mining deaths.

[fish]

I dont think anyone ever went up the valley until prc opened it up.
I agree it should have been opencast and 3 times as much coal could be extracted in comparative safety
As to the cause-methane build up when ventilation system failed-continuous miner creates heat and the spark =massive explosion in confined space .
What we dont know is why mining didnt stop and the mine evacuated until the ventilation was repaired

[Yankiwi]

From want my untrained eye can see, the lack of generators to take over generating power for the exhaust fan when the mains have failed.

They have them in the hospitals, emergency bunkers and even most dairy farmers I believe. They are quite affordable and widly available. Why were they not at PRC waiting for a power loss such as Friday?

[Stumpynuts]

Heads will most definitely roll.....

[Lizard]

As to the cause-methane build up when ventilation system failed-continuous miner creates heat and the spark =massive explosion in confined space .


At one of the media briefings, Peter Whittall said that they were not mining at the time as there was a maintenance shut down at the plant and had not been mining for a few hours, but were working on other general jobs in the interim.

Not clear about the ventilation - Peter said the little tag blowing at the entrance stopped moving a couple of minutes before the material blew out the mine entrance. Not sure if that means it failed first or just took a few minutes for the blast to make it down the tunnel. But if the ventilation stopped first, it cannot have been for long - certainly didn't sound like it was for long enough to clear the mine.

[CJ]

Peter said the little tag blowing at the entrance stopped moving a couple of minutes before the material blew out the mine entrance. Not sure if that means it failed first or just took a few minutes for the blast to make it down the tunnel. Apparently that was the time taken for the shockwave to travel the length of the tunnel so did not indicate the timing of the failure

[robo]

From want my untrained eye can see, the lack of generators to take over generating power for the exhaust fan when the mains have failed.

They have them in the hospitals, emergency bunkers and even most dairy farmers I believe. They are quite affordable and widly available. Why were they not at PRC waiting for a power loss such as Friday?


They even have them in hotels !!!!!

[shasta]

Lets start with the obvious, why was the electrican there?

Did someone turn on the mains before getting clearance from the electrician, causing a spark & igniting the gas?

[Yankiwi]

Lets start with the obvious, why was the electrican there?

Did someone turn on the mains before getting clearance from the electrician, causing a spark & igniting the gas?

No explosive gas would have been there if a generator was powering the ventilation system after the mains first cut out. Generating systems can be set to take over in a matter of seconds as soon as there's a voltage drop, never mind lossing all power as happened here.

Ventilation is normally about 1/3 of a mines operating electrical cost.

Underground Mine Ventilation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_mine_ventilation)

[Lizard]

Lets start with the obvious, why was the electrican there?


As I heard it, the electrical contractor was sent over from the offices to check why the power had gone down. Despite the confused reporting, I don't think we have been told his name and nor do I think he has been interviewed by the media as to what he saw, even though he was first on the scene and must have ventured over 1km into the tunnel?

Personally, I was interested that after seeing what he thought was someone lying on the ground near the loader, he left the mine to raise the alarm. This seems like a difficult dilemma for him. Being about a km from the entrance, do you check on the guy on the ground or race back to raise the alarm? (Personally, having recently experienced being first on the scene at a significant accident, I too took the choice to call emergency services first.)

[Jay]

Had he gone there cause the explosion cut the power, or had the power gone out and due to the build up of gas - caused the explosion

[Skol]

I got the impression very quickly that Gary Knowles was enjoying his fifteen minutes of fame.

[Major von Tempsky]

I rather suspect it was he, plus a couple of guys with him, who gave rise to the statement that "3 other men were seen also coming out".
A statement then categorically denied by Peter Whittall and Gary Knowles. Why? Why not acknowledge the truth or get yourself up to speed?

[Skol]

An online aussie mining journal reported they were astounded that the police were allowed to control what happened at the mine and it must never happen again. In Australia all decisions are made by rescuers and the Inspector of Mines, not Mr. Plod.

[STRAT]

I got the impression very quickly that Gary Knowles was enjoying his fifteen minutes of fame.You reckon Skol.
I think he would have been very pleased to have passed the job to anyone who put their hand up.

In hindsight he seems to have more or less made all the right decisions but stil gets the bash.

Shasta, You are onto it. Electrical fire starter very likely I think.