Topic: Miners

[ACE]

Years ago while serving in the navy we had a welsh petty officer, who when we complained about conditions, his stock phrase was' think yourself lucky boyo, you could be down the mines'. How right he was, We might have had to put our lives on the line sometimes but not day in and day out like these boys.

I hope there is a decent ending to this story and my heart goes out to all their friends and families.

[betula]

An awful situation for them all.

[lincsyokel2]

And of course the other problem is that when there was 110 pits, there was a well staffed top class Mines Rescue Service. Now theres 8 pits, the Mines Rescue Service has been reduced to two men and a dog, and the dog is the only one thats actually been down a mine. All the knowledge and experience has been lost.

China is worse. There about 10,000 people a year killed in mines in China.

[BarriedaleNick]

Unfortuantely the beeb is reporting one death already..

[star]

My thoughts are with the men and their families.......

[BarriedaleNick]

Three are now confirmed as dead and it sounds like the there is little hope for the other one.
It's easy, as I sit in my air con office, to forget that there are people out there risking life and limb on a daily basis..

[SamLouise]

Such sad news :(

I couldn't believe it as each announcement was made.  Everybody was just willing them to be ok.

There's an official appeal now for the families of the miners and I'm leaving the link in case anybody would like to donate.

http://www.minersappealfund.org/

[Unwashed]

Mrs. U's people are miners from the vallies, and time was disasters like this were a daily fear.  It's a sad business, we feel for them.

[rosebud]

 I have many relatives that were miners until most pits closed years ago.
 I feel deeply sorry for them  my heart goes out to them.
  My relatives were lucky they experienced many threats but seldom any injuries or deaths.
On one occasion when we were visiting my auntie, about 3am a pit alarm went & all you could hear were miners running towards the pit to help fortunately it wasen`t very serious but bad enough, i can still hear that sound & the worry miners wives felt.

So God only knows how those miners wives felt yesterday, when they heard one minor was found dead but no identity for such a long time it just makes you realize how lucky we all are in" ordinary" jobs.
Love & prayers for them all.

[davyw1]

I feel for the families of the men that died but their loss is no greater than that of any person who has lost some one close.
The difference is the waiting, the not knowing of what the outcome is going to be, will they have some one to bury or will it be just flowers at the mine entrance and plaque of remembrance.
My father was Mines Rescue and had the unfortunate opportunity of having to do it for real 81 men and boys and two rescue men killed. I remember my mother waiting in total silence with other members of the family and the tears when she found out my dad had come through OK.
I still remember when the sons of those minors killed got into the same cage as me to go down the mine for the first time, you could see the doubt and the apprehension on their faces but no fear, it was their chosen occupation and they were going to be the son of a miners son.

At the age of 16 when i was a timber leader down the mine, i found out just what it was all about when water starts to seeps through the coal face, but as they say that's another story.

[betula]

Powerful memories......God Bless x

[lincsyokel2]

Im baffled how 'Cilybebyll'  is pronounced 'glaytian'.....it hasnt even got the same letters in.

[Jayb]

It's not, Cilybebyll is a village close to Gleision Colliery.

[lincsyokel2]

It's not, Cilybebyll is a village close to Gleision Colliery.

Ah I see, i was a tad confused about that.............

[colt]

My thoughts are with the families at this sad time. I was a miner working on the coalface and was buried alive but at least I am here to tell the story unlike those brave souls who were killed. I hope that things change with the safety inspections so that we dont have any more of these incidents.