Pike River Mine Disaster..

Last Friday, the 19th November, the Pike River Mine just outside of the town of Greymouth in the South Island experienced an underground explosion. Two miners were able to get out of the mine, but 29 miners were left trapped deep down inside the mine.


Every day since the explosion we have waited with bated breath to see when the rescuers would be able to go down and get the miners out. Every day there has been high levels of poisonous gases recorded that has made it impossible for anyone to go down and get the miners. Families and friends have gathered from around the world, hoping for the best possible outcome. Yesterday, there was finally a little glimmer of hope, as there appeared to be some progress made and there was talk and speculation that the rescue teams would finally be able to go down and bring these men out.

At about 2.30pm, there were some concerns shown by the gas monitoring team about recent gas readings and it was decided to wait and do another check within the hour. Within minutes of the findings being found there was a second explosion, bigger than the first and lasting aprox 30seconds. The realisation then hit everyone concerned with the rescue attempt that there was no way that anyone would survive this second blast.

Today, New Zealand, as a nation, mourns the loss of those 29 men, whose ages range from 17 through to 62 years. They were not all New Zealanders, there were men from Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Our hearts are heavy as we think about the families that have lost a loved one.