Miners trapped underground at south Wales coalmine

Police say three men escaped to the surface but four remain trapped after incident at Gleision colliery, near Swansea A major rescue operation is underway after four people were feared to be trapped in a coalmine in Wales. South Wales police said officers, with fire and ambulance crews, were called to the Gleision colliery in Pontardawe, Swansea, at 9.20am. The small hillside mine, near Cilybebyll, has been in operation since 1993. A police spokesman said: “Seven people were initially in the mine at the time. Three of them got out, with one taken to hospital. His condition is currently unknown. “It is believed the other four remain inside. A rescue operation is under way. As you can imagine, it is quite a dynamic situation.” Local councillor Arthur Threlfall, who serves on Cilybebyll community council, described the situation as very worrying. He said: “I understand the injured man was taken to hospital via helicopter. The mine is in quite a remote spot. At the moment, you cannot go anywhere near it because a large area around it has been cordoned off by the police. “Gleision is one of those collieries that has open and shut many times, and they tend to work on the basis of when coal is found. However, it has recently been extended. “This is the first mining disaster I have known for many years. There are not many collieries left like there used to be. However, it is a very worrying situation and it has shocked a lot of people.” The Neath MP and shadow Welsh secretary, Peter Hain, also expressed his concern. He said: “I am immediately seeking information on the miners’ predicament. “I am asking what action needs to be taken urgently by all relevant authorities to secure their safety.” Mining Wales Steven Morris Stephen Morris guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 15, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.