Mine rescuer: 'I don't think people ever get over it'

Rescue teams wait at the Pike River mine the day after the first blast. Photo / Simon Baker

Nightmares about the 12 Queensland miners he could not save have haunted John Brady for more than 20 years.

The 40-year Australian mines rescue veteran has suffered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder since leading a recovery operation at Australia's Maura #4 mine in 1986.

That same fate could await recovery teams waiting to retrieve the bodies of their friends and colleagues from the Pike River Coal mine, he said.

"Many of them will end up like I have.

"There's not a day that goes by I don't think about it. Many times I've woken up in the middle of the night and asked my wife how she died because I've been dreaming of the guys who died."

Explosive and poisonous gases have kept recovery teams out of the Pike River mine since an explosion at 3.44pm on November 19.

All hope for the survival of 29 men still trapped inside was extinguished by a second explosion on November 24.

A Polish jet engine, termed a GAG unit, is expected to pump inert gases into the mine today in an effort to put out a coal fire burning inside.

Mr Brady was faced with a similar situation after the Maura #4 explosion.

About an hour after the blast, he sent rescue teams in to save the trapped miners.

When they were within 200m of the men, he had to pull them out of the mine because of "off the chart" gas readings.

It was eight days before he could pump inert gases into the mine and retrieve the bodies of the 12 miners.

He has taken medication and paid regular visits to psychiatrists since then to deal with post traumatic stress.

That pain would now be etched in the minds of the recovery teams at Pike River, he said.

"I'm one of the few people that know what they're suffering at the moment. There is nothing more frustrating in the world than knowing your mates are in there and not being able to get them out.

"They call it post traumatic stress, but the post traumatic stress impacts the families and the rescuers. Unfortunately I don't think people ever get over it."

Francis Mining boss Brent Francis earlier told the Herald it was a "dark" time for his miners working in recovery teams at Pike River.

He did not want to comment further until a recovery operation was complete.