Moura No 4

An explosion of methane gas in the Dip section resulted in the death of twelve men at Moura No. 4 colliery on Wednesday 16th July 1986 at about 11:05 AM.

Explosion Incident

At about 11:05 AM a thick cloud of grey dust was observed to rise from above the No. 4 Underground entries. An immediate inspection revealed that the explosion doors and part of the fan evase had been blown out. Electrical power including power to the Maihak had been cut. There were twenty men underground.

The mine emergency procedure was activated. Telephone contact was made with 5 men in 3 south section and attempts were made by mine officials and miners to enter the Dip section. However, poor visibility, road debris and the presence of a strange smell from an unknown source curtailed progress beyond Dip 2 boot end. As well as the 5 men in 3 South, three other men walked from the mine through dense dust. From the information available it was deduced that a major fall had occurred in the Dip section.

Rescue Operations

By midday the priorities were to get air to the twelve trapped men in the Dip section by:

1. A rescue team equipped with breathing apparatus,
2. Repair the fan, and
3. Restore power to the surface of the mine and the gas monitoring system.

The first rescue team entered the mine at 12:05 PM and travelled as far as No. 22 cut through, encountering much dust and devastation. A second team entered the mine at 12:15 PM and reported 700ppm CO and 2.2% methane at Dip 2 boot end. The gas readings appeared to be rising and consequently both teams were ordered to return to the surface. By 1:30 PM following a debriefing, it was then presumed that a ignition of gas and or coal dust had occurred and grave doubts were held for the safety of the 12 missing men. The possibility of a second explosion caused the suspension of further rescue attempts until an accurate assessment of the mine atmosphere and gas trends could be established.

Over the following days and until Wednesday 23rd July, efforts to recover the bodies were frustrated by a continual sequence of unfavourable events. Some of the problems were:

1. Fluctuating levels of methane emanating from 4 South seals probably controlled by barometric variations.
2. Serious concern attached to the complicated gas results from both inbye and outbye of the Dip Section.
3. The realisation by Friday 18th July, that there was an active fire of unknown size and location in the explosion area.

Safety of rescue members was uppermost before further operations would be carried out.

Complete inertisation of the atmosphere inbye of No. 21 cut through by nitrogen injection had to be achieved before recovery of the bodies could be planned.

This was finally achieved and the bodies of the 12 victims were located and successfully recovered on Wednesday 23rd July 1986.