Yorkshire pit closed by blast expected to reopen

Mineworkers at West Yorkshire's Kellingley pit are being asked to volunteer to work between December 23 and January 3, the period in which production is usually suspended.

UK Coal, which owns Kellingley, is keen to catch up on lost production and miners will be hopeful of recouping some of the bonus and overtime money lost since the pit closed on Tuesday, November 23, following an explosion caused by the spontaneous combustion of methane.

No one was injured, but production was halted and the 218 miners in the mine were evacuated.

UK Coal said that it was hoped that production could resume mid-December.

A spokesman said that, on current assessments, the lost production would amount to between 100,000 and 200,000 tonnes by the time the pit reopens.

The company said equipment was being used to pump nitrogen into a mined waste area thought to be the source of the methane.

The nitrogen is used to suffocate the combustion.Readings taken on Monday suggested that the nitrogen pumping was working but more was needed.

The spokesman said: "Yesterday's readings indicated that this is having the desired effect, with levels of methane and carbon monoxide in the relevant part of the mine dropping to their lowest level since the incident."

On Monday night a team was able to walk the length of the coal face but was not able to locate the source of the combustion.

"They were able to ascertain that there was no deterioration of the face, the equipment or the immediate roof strata.

"Production will resume once it is safe to do so. On the basis of last night's inspection, UK Coal anticipates restoring safe operation by mid-December."

Chris Kitchen, from the National Union of Mineworkers, said everything was being done in a safe manner, with nothing rushed.

He said he expected men to volunteer to work over Christmas to get the mine producing coal again.