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Strongman Mine disaster workers,19 Jan 1967.
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DescriptionNineteen men were killed when an explosion ripped through t Strongman coal mine at Rūnanga, just after 10 a.m. An inquiry found that safety regulations had not been followed and a shot hole for a charge had been incorrectly fired.
Strongman mine (New Zealand’s largest underground coal mine) had had an impeccable safety record since its opening in 1939. But in January 1967 an explosion sent a fireball through a section of the mine, in which 240 men were working at the time. A higher death toll was avoided only because a wet patch in the tunnel near the site of the explosion slowed down and then extinguished the fireball.
Smoke and firedamp (methane gas produced by coal) made the search for survivors and bodies hazardous. When mixed with a certain proportion of air, firedamp becomes highly explosive. Those involved in the rescue were at constant risk of another explosion. After 15 bodies were recovered on the day of the explosion, it took another three weeks to retrieve two more. The last two men could not be recovered and the tunnel was sealed off. Five men involved in the rescue received the British Empire Medal for their bravery.
An inquiry into the disaster concluded that at least two mining regulations had been broken. The government was ordered to pay compensation to the families of the victims.Date of Photo19th Jan,1967.Map[1] External LinkHistory House MuseumContributorHistory House Museum Greymouth
Strongman mine (New Zealand’s largest underground coal mine) had had an impeccable safety record since its opening in 1939. But in January 1967 an explosion sent a fireball through a section of the mine, in which 240 men were working at the time. A higher death toll was avoided only because a wet patch in the tunnel near the site of the explosion slowed down and then extinguished the fireball.
Smoke and firedamp (methane gas produced by coal) made the search for survivors and bodies hazardous. When mixed with a certain proportion of air, firedamp becomes highly explosive. Those involved in the rescue were at constant risk of another explosion. After 15 bodies were recovered on the day of the explosion, it took another three weeks to retrieve two more. The last two men could not be recovered and the tunnel was sealed off. Five men involved in the rescue received the British Empire Medal for their bravery.
An inquiry into the disaster concluded that at least two mining regulations had been broken. The government was ordered to pay compensation to the families of the victims.Date of Photo19th Jan,1967.Map[1] External LinkHistory House MuseumContributorHistory House Museum Greymouth
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Location (city or town)Coast RoadRunangaLandmark (Place)Strongman MineOrganisation (eg business)Strongman MineEventStrongman Mine Disaster
Category Information
Category TagCoal Mining
From Facebook
Date Created29th April 2019CommentsJames Codyre Good old Uncle Hongi front and center.
Alan Messenger My uncle, Geoff Messenger second from right
Rebecca Marley Alan Messenger wow! See this Craig Adair
Craig Adair Rebecca Marley yep wow
Mel Higson My dad Jeff Higson & uncle Peter Higson worked idn dis mine along wif dads best mate Russell Cust who sadly didnt make it along wif alot others.
Debbie Hughes Jack Carson my grandad James (Jim) Carson's brother
Barbara Fitzsimmons Debbie Hughes .any relation to Bugs
Debbie Hughes Barbara Fitzsimmons not sure. What's his real name
Brian McIntyre RIP guys.
Barbara Fitzsimmons Remember this .so sad .such a tragedy .RIP
Jason Murly yer if eny of you remember lewis smithson he workd in the stongman mine when it blew
Ceol Mhor NZ Still 2 left inside the mine.
Chip Robinson My cuz Dudley still down there R.I.P.
Lucretia Ahpene My grandad Cyril Hector was one of the rescuers that went down there to get people out when it happened Like
Bobbie Johnson Remember this. So sad.
Heather Newby devastating
Helen Brennan RIP
Raylene Smith my cousin was in that
Brian McIntyre Yes Chip Robinson my school mate. We started work the same day. I bought a bike with my Post Office wages and Dudley bought a brand new Mini
Frances Carey Remember this vividly. Was working at the Grey Hospital at the time. Such a terribly sad day.Helen Brennan
Helen Brennan both were so so young RIP Dad & Noelxx
Corinne Ord Helen Brennan they sure were
Murry McKendry RIP lads
Judy Smolen Dad on this end of photo
Lee Williams The mines safety record was not impeccable, they had just been lucky.
Tania Mcilroy My grandad on far left of photo
Garry Woods I was 16 just left school and about to join them in a coal mining career. Changed my mind on the 20th January.
Patrick Casserly I was down the Dobson mine When we received the news Piercy morn was the under Viewer his only son Archie morn was killed in the explosion he was devastated when we Heard the news we all came out we wear in shock it was the Biggest funeral ever in Greymouth
Brian McIntyre Patrick Casserly Archie was a neat guy
CindyGary Foster-Buckman Two of my great uncles Reg Bannan & Ron Wafer
Brian McIntyre Crazy Snakey was a motorbike mate
Bill Bev Gardyne I remember that day like it was yesterday I was 9 and I cried like a baby thinking my brother Maxin was caught but he was one of the lucky ones.
Linden Kilkelly And rescuers went straight in....no incompetent Police within Cooee of the place preventing trained Rescuers doing what they trained for.
Linden Kilkelly I had been working in Greens Section but left some months before the explosion.
Margaret Moore - R I P Bricky Moore. Bricky was one of two they couldn't get out.
Margaret Moore - My dad Sandy Aldridge was working that day. Previously he had been working in the green section.
Joy Cox - It was so wrong that only five of the rescuers received medals. They all should have for what they did, their bravery and the horrors they saw!!!
Viv Sheehan - My brother Jack was part of the rescue team there but was never entered for the recovery but on standby.
Lyn Moe - Well done Brian McIntyre, I was pleased to see Wrecka on the bottom because he was in a different plot.
Brian McIntyre - Lyn Moe thanks to you I still had it Moe.
Karen Pratt - Ex Stanway My Grandfather Victor Stanway was a supervisor there and pulled all the dead. He told his grandson years later David with tears in his eyes he had to get his men out.
Brian Gus Heveldt
My father-in-law Allan Walker was one of the men helping to rescue his mates.He had worked in Greens Section not long before the explosion.
Heather Newby
badge icon
Author
Today is the anniversary. R.I.P.
Wayne Leckie
R.I.P will never forget this day
Heather Newby
badge icon
Author
Wayne Leckie me too
Alan N Barb Cochrane
all us coasters will never foreget that day.
Trevor Molloy
I was carting coal at Dobson Mine , I then had to load up gear from the storeroom at Dobson , also men and take them to Strongman , a sad day .
Florence Gunn
A very sad day, one that will never be forgotten. R.I.P.
Barbara Fitzsimmons
RIP .our men . .True Coasters .are family
Noeline Pinn
We all miss him Mary.
Colleen Cochrane
A sad day for Greymouth
Rob Absalom
Colleen Cochrane It was, and it was like almost everyone in Greymouth knew somebody involved, through work or sport.
Suzanne Nelson
Colleen Cochrane yes would of been very sad,husbands,dads, grandads,brothers ,sons
Jennifer Gaskell
I was working at Grey Hospital at that, it was terrible waiting for casualties to arrive and it never happened, RIP.
Sonia Dando
My late husband Brian Haines helped bringing his mates out it was a terrible time for all of us living in Runanga then
Sandra Arnott
Sonia Dando yip!it was!
Sonia Dando
Sandra Arnott Brian lost his best mate Hugh O’Donnell he never got over that
Lynette French
A very sad day for wife’s and children, who never say there husbands or fathers again.
Patrick Casserly
I was down the Dobson mine When we received the news Piercy morn was the under Viewer his only son Archie morn was killed in the explosion he was devastated when we Heard the news we all came out we wear in shock it was the Biggest funeral ever in Greymouth
Roger Howell
A very sad day for all Coasters.
Pauline Matene
So was I, Seddon Ward, we had to clear it out for casualty’s, but sadly there was none
Jennifer Gaskell
I remember that Pauline, so sad.
…
Debbie Hughes
My great uncle Jack Carson in hat
Alan Messenger My uncle, Geoff Messenger second from right
Rebecca Marley Alan Messenger wow! See this Craig Adair
Craig Adair Rebecca Marley yep wow
Mel Higson My dad Jeff Higson & uncle Peter Higson worked idn dis mine along wif dads best mate Russell Cust who sadly didnt make it along wif alot others.
Debbie Hughes Jack Carson my grandad James (Jim) Carson's brother
Barbara Fitzsimmons Debbie Hughes .any relation to Bugs
Debbie Hughes Barbara Fitzsimmons not sure. What's his real name
Brian McIntyre RIP guys.
Barbara Fitzsimmons Remember this .so sad .such a tragedy .RIP
Jason Murly yer if eny of you remember lewis smithson he workd in the stongman mine when it blew
Ceol Mhor NZ Still 2 left inside the mine.
Chip Robinson My cuz Dudley still down there R.I.P.
Lucretia Ahpene My grandad Cyril Hector was one of the rescuers that went down there to get people out when it happened Like
Bobbie Johnson Remember this. So sad.
Heather Newby devastating
Helen Brennan RIP
Raylene Smith my cousin was in that
Brian McIntyre Yes Chip Robinson my school mate. We started work the same day. I bought a bike with my Post Office wages and Dudley bought a brand new Mini
Frances Carey Remember this vividly. Was working at the Grey Hospital at the time. Such a terribly sad day.Helen Brennan
Helen Brennan both were so so young RIP Dad & Noelxx
Corinne Ord Helen Brennan they sure were
Murry McKendry RIP lads
Judy Smolen Dad on this end of photo
Lee Williams The mines safety record was not impeccable, they had just been lucky.
Tania Mcilroy My grandad on far left of photo
Garry Woods I was 16 just left school and about to join them in a coal mining career. Changed my mind on the 20th January.
Patrick Casserly I was down the Dobson mine When we received the news Piercy morn was the under Viewer his only son Archie morn was killed in the explosion he was devastated when we Heard the news we all came out we wear in shock it was the Biggest funeral ever in Greymouth
Brian McIntyre Patrick Casserly Archie was a neat guy
CindyGary Foster-Buckman Two of my great uncles Reg Bannan & Ron Wafer
Brian McIntyre Crazy Snakey was a motorbike mate
Bill Bev Gardyne I remember that day like it was yesterday I was 9 and I cried like a baby thinking my brother Maxin was caught but he was one of the lucky ones.
Linden Kilkelly And rescuers went straight in....no incompetent Police within Cooee of the place preventing trained Rescuers doing what they trained for.
Linden Kilkelly I had been working in Greens Section but left some months before the explosion.
Margaret Moore - R I P Bricky Moore. Bricky was one of two they couldn't get out.
Margaret Moore - My dad Sandy Aldridge was working that day. Previously he had been working in the green section.
Joy Cox - It was so wrong that only five of the rescuers received medals. They all should have for what they did, their bravery and the horrors they saw!!!
Viv Sheehan - My brother Jack was part of the rescue team there but was never entered for the recovery but on standby.
Lyn Moe - Well done Brian McIntyre, I was pleased to see Wrecka on the bottom because he was in a different plot.
Brian McIntyre - Lyn Moe thanks to you I still had it Moe.
Karen Pratt - Ex Stanway My Grandfather Victor Stanway was a supervisor there and pulled all the dead. He told his grandson years later David with tears in his eyes he had to get his men out.
Brian Gus Heveldt
My father-in-law Allan Walker was one of the men helping to rescue his mates.He had worked in Greens Section not long before the explosion.
Heather Newby
badge icon
Author
Today is the anniversary. R.I.P.
Wayne Leckie
R.I.P will never forget this day
Heather Newby
badge icon
Author
Wayne Leckie me too
Alan N Barb Cochrane
all us coasters will never foreget that day.
Trevor Molloy
I was carting coal at Dobson Mine , I then had to load up gear from the storeroom at Dobson , also men and take them to Strongman , a sad day .
Florence Gunn
A very sad day, one that will never be forgotten. R.I.P.
Barbara Fitzsimmons
RIP .our men . .True Coasters .are family
Noeline Pinn
We all miss him Mary.
Colleen Cochrane
A sad day for Greymouth
Rob Absalom
Colleen Cochrane It was, and it was like almost everyone in Greymouth knew somebody involved, through work or sport.
Suzanne Nelson
Colleen Cochrane yes would of been very sad,husbands,dads, grandads,brothers ,sons
Jennifer Gaskell
I was working at Grey Hospital at that, it was terrible waiting for casualties to arrive and it never happened, RIP.
Sonia Dando
My late husband Brian Haines helped bringing his mates out it was a terrible time for all of us living in Runanga then
Sandra Arnott
Sonia Dando yip!it was!
Sonia Dando
Sandra Arnott Brian lost his best mate Hugh O’Donnell he never got over that
Lynette French
A very sad day for wife’s and children, who never say there husbands or fathers again.
Patrick Casserly
I was down the Dobson mine When we received the news Piercy morn was the under Viewer his only son Archie morn was killed in the explosion he was devastated when we Heard the news we all came out we wear in shock it was the Biggest funeral ever in Greymouth
Roger Howell
A very sad day for all Coasters.
Pauline Matene
So was I, Seddon Ward, we had to clear it out for casualty’s, but sadly there was none
Jennifer Gaskell
I remember that Pauline, so sad.
…
Debbie Hughes
My great uncle Jack Carson in hat
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West Coast New Zealand History (10th Jun 2021). Strongman Mine disaster workers,19 Jan 1967.. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 10th Apr 2026 06:41, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/25256