What happened in the Pike River Mine?

On the afternoon of 19 November 2010, an explosion ripped through the remote Pike River mine on the West Coast of the South Island, killing 29 men. Their bodies have not been recovered, and remain in the mine. Mines must have good ventilation to prevent methane building up.

What were the effects of the Pike River Mine disaster?

The accident resulted in the deaths of 29 miners whose remains have never been recovered. The Pike River Mine incident ranks as New Zealand’s worst mining disaster since 1914, when 43 men died at Ralph’s Mine in Huntly.

How many people died in Pike River Mine?

Twenty-nine men
Twenty-nine men were killed when an explosion ripped through the Pike River mine on the west coast in November 2010. Their bodies have not been recovered, and remain in the mine.

Why did Pike River explode?

The immediate cause of the tragedy was a large methane explosion. Methane is found naturally in coal. Effective methane management is essential in an underground coal mine. Undoubtedly there was a failure to control methane at Pike River on 19 November 2010.

Did anyone survive the Pike River mine?

On Friday 19 November 2010 at 3:45pm there was an underground explosion at the Pike River coal mine. Twenty-nine men lost their lives, and their bodies have not been recovered. Their names and details appear on pages 4–5 (see: Pike River mine memorial). Two men survived the explosion.

How much has the Pike River mine recovery cost?

The recovery project, which cost $51 million, plus at least $10 million for the police – was never about recovering the bodies, which are trapped behind a massive rockfall, but was intended to search the drift for possible evidence of what caused the explosions.

When did the Pike River Mine disaster happen?

This was a major disaster for New Zealand in recent times. Two years later the Royal Commission of Inquiry began an investigation called the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy. It was only in May 2019 that the Pike River Recovery Agency were able to re-enter the mine to look for evidence of what caused the explosion.

What was the Royal Commission on the Pike River Mine?

Two years later the Royal Commission of Inquiry began an investigation called the Pike River Coal Mine Tragedy. It was only in May 2019 that the Pike River Recovery Agency were able to re-enter the mine to look for evidence of what caused the explosion. There are several websites that have useful facts and information about the Pike River disaster.

Where was the Pike River Mine in New Zealand?

Pike River Royal Commission. The Pike River Mine disaster was a coal mining accident that began on 19 November 2010 in the Pike River Mine, 46 kilometres (29 mi) northeast of Greymouth, in the West Coast region of New Zealand’s South Island.

Where was the mine disaster in New Zealand?

Pike River Mine disaster From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Pike River Mine disaster was a coal mining accident that began on 19 November 2010 in the Pike River Mine, 46 km (29 mi) northeast of Greymouth, in the West Coast region of New Zealand’s South Island following a methane explosion at approximately 3:44 pm (NZDT, UTC+13).