Flames leap from the ventilation shaft at the Pike River Mine in November 2010. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Flames leap from the ventilation shaft at the Pike River Mine in November 2010. Photo / Mark Mitchell
A camera was lowered into the Pike River Mine on Friday, revealing more water than expected but not a great amount of damage.
Bernie Monk, spokesman for some of the Pike River families, said a concrete plate meant to seal the top of the ventilation shaft had been leaking, sothe new mine owner Solid Energy decided to put a camera down it.
The shaft was pictured in the aftermath of the November 2010 disaster belching flames, and there was much debate over whether a box containing self-rescuing equipment, viewed on the mine floor, had been left open by survivors or blown open by the force of the blast.
Meanwhile, the mediator between the families and Government is due in Greymouth on Wednesday for a meeting to update plans on a possible re-entry.
Later this week, Mr Monk will fly to Brisbane to address a forum about health and safety in mining, with Pike River featured as a case study of how not to mine.
