Post by John on Aug 25, 2022 10:49:40 GMT -5
I was just watching videos about the Appin and other mine disasters, reminds me how lucky I've been in my mining career.
Appin happened a few months before I set off for Australia, I ended up at a colliery owned by the same company AI&S, Wongawilli Colliery, a mine that had started in the 1800's and still churning coal out. It was not long after I'd signed on, just before Christmas 1979. I was just learning the ropes and was on the surface with a surface elec who showed me an auxiliary fan and starter, nothing outstanding, other than it had been brought here for evidence from the district where the mining team was killed by an explosion a few months earlier.
"Take a look at this and give me your opinion" the elec said. The flameproof starter lid was wide open, so what? The inside of the starter was black and charred, I noticed the mechanical interlock had been defeated, and the inside of the hinged lid was spotless. Where's this from I asked, Appin said the elec. This was the source of the ignition I said. "Yes, same as all the staff here who have seen it" said the elec. And yet they were still blaming the Deputies oil lamp as the source.
But on saying that, I often wonder how many ignitions could have been caused by flame safety lamps.
I was reading some papers on ignitions of gas caused by lightning strikes on the surface discharging through the roof bolts, seems a few disasters were caused that way too.
Appin happened a few months before I set off for Australia, I ended up at a colliery owned by the same company AI&S, Wongawilli Colliery, a mine that had started in the 1800's and still churning coal out. It was not long after I'd signed on, just before Christmas 1979. I was just learning the ropes and was on the surface with a surface elec who showed me an auxiliary fan and starter, nothing outstanding, other than it had been brought here for evidence from the district where the mining team was killed by an explosion a few months earlier.
"Take a look at this and give me your opinion" the elec said. The flameproof starter lid was wide open, so what? The inside of the starter was black and charred, I noticed the mechanical interlock had been defeated, and the inside of the hinged lid was spotless. Where's this from I asked, Appin said the elec. This was the source of the ignition I said. "Yes, same as all the staff here who have seen it" said the elec. And yet they were still blaming the Deputies oil lamp as the source.
But on saying that, I often wonder how many ignitions could have been caused by flame safety lamps.
I was reading some papers on ignitions of gas caused by lightning strikes on the surface discharging through the roof bolts, seems a few disasters were caused that way too.
