Gleision mine disaster: Families' inquest wait goes on

Families have been told they must continue to wait for a decision on whether an inquest will be held on four men killed in a 2011 mine disaster.

They had hoped for a decision now, but a coroner has said it will now be made by Christmas.

Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, Phillip Hill, 44, and Garry Jenkins, 39, died in the flooded Gleision drift mine in Neath Port Talbot.

The families say there are still many "unanswered questions".

They have been fighting for a full inquest to understand what caused the disaster.

A hearing in the Guildhall in Swansea on Friday heard submissions from the representatives of the families, the owners MNS Mining Ltd, the Coal Authority, the Health and Safety Executive and South Wales Police.

The coroner for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot told the court "there was a lot to think about" and a decision will be made before Christmas.

Michael Imperato, representing the families, said: "It's been a hard slog for the families to get here, but they're here now."

He said they were very pleased that the barrister giving the coroner independent legal advice "agreed with many of our arguments", and "was recommending that the matter be resumed."

He said: "The families would have liked a ruling as soon as possible, but they've been waiting more than 10 years for this now. So they can probably hang on another month or two.

"We're hopeful the coroner will will adopt the advice that he was given by his own barrister, adopt our advice, and see that justice is done for the families."

Christian Howells, also representing the families, said the Coal Authority and the Health and Safety Executive had failed to ensure up-to-date plans of the workings of the mine, that precautions were taken, and that there was a second exit for the miners.

He also argued that the fact that more than 11 years have passed was not a reason for not resuming an inquest.

Prashant Popat KC, representing the owners MNS Mining, said the question of how the men died has not been answered.

But a representative for Malcolm Fyfield, the mine manager at the time, confirmed to the coroner that his client was not in favour of a resumption of the inquest because it would be "detrimental" to his health.

The disaster happened after routine blasting at Gleision near Cilybebyll, Pontardawe, when thousands of gallons of water flooded into a tunnel where seven miners were working. Three of them escaped.

In 2014, the manager and owners of the mine were cleared of manslaughter charges.

Now the families say they have new information that supports the need for a full inquest and that questions remain over the mine's operation and the tragedy's causes.

Speaking before the decision, Mr Breslin's widow, Mavis, said she believed it was time for an inquest.

"It's been 11 years which is far too long," she said. "We all need answers as to exactly what happened. It's frustrating."

Mr Jenkins's son Alex said an inquest would put people's minds at rest.

"Not having the answers really makes you question yourself when you're speaking to people and trying to explain what happened but there's nothing to show them," he said.

Maria Seage, who owns the colliery with Gerald Ward, agreed there were unanswered questions.

"We want to know what happened that day, we need closure," she said.

"We feel let down. The families need answers as to why four men went to work that day and never came home.

"You wake up with it in the morning and you go to bed with it in the night," she said.

"We get triggers and flashbacks. It's changed us from the people we were.

"The people we were have gone. I don't really like the person I am now. Tears are never far from the surface."

Ms Seage said the men killed were not just employees but friends.

"We were all in it together," she said.

Mr Ward said it had been hard for the families to understand what happened.

He said: "This is what we need. We need the answers. Why don't they want the inquest?"

Member of the Senedd for South Wales West Sioned Williams said the disaster had scarred the families and the community.

She said: "It's incredible that a full inquest hasn't been held to give those answers, to do those investigations that so crucially need to be done in order to get the full picture as to what happened that resulted in four men losing their lives in the Gleision Colliery".

Swansea and Neath Port Talbot coroner's office said a decision on whether a full inquest would be held would be made after Friday's hearing.