Strongman mine disaster 1967

About this image

DescriptionSTRONGMAN STATE COAL MINE.
EXPLOSION-1967.

Nineteen men were killed instantly in the Strongman State Coal Mine near Runanga at 10.10 a.m. on Thursday 19 January 1967. A giant explosion swept through Green’s Dip, flinging miners in all directions. A miner who rushed to the surface brought the first news of the tragedy. He was completely covered with black grit but was otherwise unhurt. He had been caught only in the fringe of the explosion.. The first four bodies were brought out at 1.00 p.m. and the rescue attempt continued all night and the next day. Eleven more bodies were recovered during this time and most had died as the result of carbon monoxide poisoning, which is always present after an explosion. The rescue workers entering the mine on the second day were met by a wave of heat as a fire had broken out in the section. A temporary stopping was achieved on Friday afternoon to extinguish the fire. The sealing was inspected the next Tuesday by inspectors from the Department of Mines and the Union to see if the section could be permanently sealed safely. A call was made for 80 volunteers to work around the clock on four six-hour shifts, and between 300 and 400 Grey Valley miners raised their hands. The mine was sealed with concrete blocks so it could be re-entered to recover the bodies of the four miners still left in the section after the fire had been extinguished. Photo. Mayor Tony Kokshoorn laying a reef at the coal mine portal on 19th January 2007 (the 40 year anniversary of the disaster.).Date of Photo1967ContributorTony Kokshoorn

Shown in this image

PersonMayor Tony KokshoornLandmark (Place)Strongman Mine memorial portal

OCR Text Transcription Edit Edit +-Close

Editing is temporarily disabled

Cancel Edit

Start typing here to find a location	Latitude	Longitude	Zoom	Actions

loading google map....

Save Cancel

Menu

Strongman mine disaster 1967

Editing is temporarily disabled