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Appin Colliery 1979

24/07/1979 - Appin - Explosion / Methane Explosion

Report

At 11pm on Tuesday 24th July 1979 an explosion of methane gas in K Panel of Appin Colliery resulted in the deaths of 14 workers. This disaster was associated with a changeover of ventilation that was intended to create a situation whereby a central intake, in a three heading development panel, would be shielded from intake gas by returns on each side.

This accident claimed the lives of 14 people, these were: Alexander Lawson, Alwyn Brewin, Francis Garrity, Garry Woods, Geoffrey Johnson , Ian Giffard, James Oldcorn, John Stonham, Jurgen Lauterbach, Karl Staats, Peter Peck, Robert Rawcliffe, Roy Rawlings, Roy Williams

Other Information

Other information and memorials are dedicated to the lost miners:

http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/disaster/industrial/display/20070-appin-mine-disaster

http://www.illawarracoal.com/appindisaster.htm

http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/619987/appin-mine-blast-a-day-that-shook-our-world/

60 Minutes did a story about the Appin mine disaster in May 1980. See video above.

The documentary drama - Beneath Black Skies includes a section on  the Appin explosion. The documentary is available from:

http://www.beneathblackskies.com.au/ . See the video above.

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