Planned second escape route never built at Pike River

The safety of the Pike River coal mine prior to the fatal explosions in November is still facing intense scrutiny, with a Mines Rescue Service report finding that using the ventilation shaft as a secondary means of escape would have been “extremely difficult” in an emergency.
Read More

Controversy at Pike River Inquiry

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Pike River tragedy got off to a controversial start yesterday, with Solid Energy chief executive Don Elder saying Pike had been “over-optimistic” about the viability of the mine.
Read More