Guardian News and Media
The families of four miners who died in the worst British pit disaster in recent years have expressed their heartache and anger at the tragedy as the colliery manager and its owner were cleared of manslaughter.
Malcolm Fyfield, who survived the torrent of water that claimed the lives of the four men at the Gleision mine near Pontardawe, south Wales, in 2011, was acquitted of manslaughter by gross negligence.
MNS Mining, the firm that owned the old, cramped, pit in the Swansea valley, was found not guilty of corporate manslaughter.
Philip Hill, 44, Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, and Garry Jenkins, 39, died in the tragedy, in September 2011, when 650,000 gallons of water - enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool - flooded the mine tunnels.
The prosecution alleged that Fyfield ordered a coalface to be blasted with explosives when he had not adequately checked if there was a body of water in the old mine workings behind it. But he insisted he did make safety inspections of the area, including one on the day before the tragedy.
After a three-month multi-million pound trial, a jury took less than two hours to find Fyfield, 58, and the company not guilty of all charges. Outside Swansea crown court, the families said the last two-and-a-half years, and the day of the verdict had been very difficult.
In a statement they said: “Not a day has passed without us wishing they were still with us. The events will stay with us for the rest of our lives and the men will live in our hearts forever.”
Some expressed anger. Lynette Powell, the wife of David Powell, said that she sometimes felt rage at what had happened. “I get angry that he has gone and left us all,” she said. Mavis Breslin, who was married to Charles Breslin, said: “I had concerns about this colliery. There were some concerns I can’t put my finger on exactly.”
She said her husband had always been drawn back to the mines. “He got up early, went to work and never complained about it. I miss him very much. Since Charles has died the house has become empty.”
The MP for Neath, Peter Hain, who is close to the bereaved relatives, said the families still had questions they needed answering. “None of us will be able to forget that tragic September day. It had a terrible impact on our close-knit community, what happened in the mine was a devastating tragedy. I would like to pay tribute to the families who have conducted themselves with such dignity throughout what I am sure was a painful and harrowing process. There are no winners in this outcome, sadly the families are left with major questions unanswered, they deserve answers.”
Hain said the key question was why the miners were working in the area of the mine where the accident happened despite concerns having been raised about the presence of water there.
He called on the Health and Safety Executive, which was responsible for inspecting the mine, to launch a new investigation.
Fyfield, from Swansea, spent a week in intensive care in hospital after the tragedy and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. He broke down in tears and hugged his wife, Gillian, as he was cleared.
