Rabes,I agree about a 'Moment has passed' opportunity but it...

Rabes,

I agree about a 'Moment has passed' opportunity but it sounds as though this particular explosion was massive - perhaps 2km from the entrance, so as my mate reminded me the blackened entrance seen on the TV reports points to the worst.

To add to my previous post he said that ventilation requirements around a coal face being worked on needed particular attention. At that area, pockets of gas are being continuously broken open. The news reports said that the ventilation system stopped (for 30 mins ?) before the explosion. 31 years ago (when he last worked in a mine he / the team would immediately leave on such a happening. He doesn't know why that didn't happen (though perhaps they did start to leave ?). Nowadays miners apparently have more sophistciated personal equipment including oxygen supply devices - perhaps gives a false sense of safety ?

As always it takes a tragedy (likely I think in this case) for an inquiry from which at least we'll see further necessary safety measures for the future. It's hit home to me that underground mining for coal is a very dangerous business.

Cheers Furii