Rescuers free miner after roof caves in

The man, 48, was taken to the surface at Unity Mine in Cwmgwrach, near Glynneath, by colleagues and the Mines Rescue Team.

He is in hospital where his condition is not thought to be serious. The fire service has confirmed nobody else was trapped.

The incident comes a month after four men perished at Gleision mine in nearby Cilybebyll.

David Powell, 50, Charles Breslin, 62, Philip Hill, 44, and Garry Jenkins, 39, died after they became trapped in the mine, which was engulfed by water on September 15.

Only last weekend hundreds of friends, relatives and colleagues of a Yorkshire miner who died after a roof collapsed in Kellingley Colliery said farewell to him at his funeral.

Gerry Gibson’s coffin was carried into Selby Abbey with a miners’ helmet and fluorescent yellow vest placed on top.

Emergency services, including firefighters, an ambulance, and the air ambulance were called to the Unity pit yesterday at about 9.30am.

The miner is understood to have been treated for possible pelvis and spinal injuries by ambulance crews and was later taken by air to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

The Health and Safety Executive said it was aware of the incident and inspectors were on site helping the police.

Mid and West Wales Fire Service sent crews from Neath, Hirwaun and Abercrave, along with senior officers. South Wales Police also confirmed they were called to the mine.

A spokesman said: “His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. The Health and Safety Executive has been informed.”

Unity is around eight miles from Gleision and is also a drift mine following a seam into a hillside which miners walk into rather than being transported vertically down in a lift.