In the early hours of May 9, a gas explosion that left behind lethal concentrations of methane ripped through the Westray coal mine, killing 26 miners. After the blast, rock fall obstructed access into the deepest reaches of the mine where the men had been working. Because of these hazardous conditions, the bodies of 11 miners have yet to be recovered.
In 1990, Curragh (TSE) decided to diversify its operations by developing the $125-million Westray coal mine. The mine was partly financed by a $12-million loan from the Nova Scotia government and a $100-million loan from the Bank of Nova Scotia. The federal government guaranteed 85% of the bank loan.
The Westray mine had a contract to supply Nova Scotia’s Trenton power-generating station with 700,000 tonnes of coal per year for 15 years. The coal was being mined from the Frood coal seam which is one of the richer coal deposits in Nova Scotia. The seam is 18 km long and up to 9.5 metres thick. Although the coal has a high heating value and is low in sulphur, the seam is extremely high in methane.
The Frood seam has a history of methane-related problems, and since mining of the seam began last century, there have been a total of 178 fatalities. It was thought that the methane problems could be handled by new technology. Westray was equipped with the latest electrical technology, including sophisticated gas detection devices, and was recognized as one of the country’s most modern coal mines.
Following the accident, the company was accused of allowing unsafe mining practices, such as smoking underground and the use of acetylene torches and machines with electric starters.
An inquiry into the mine disaster was scheduled to start on Oct. 19, but has been postponed indefinitely. In the meantime, Curragh is seeking environmental approval to begin mining coal via an open pit at Stellarton, N.S., three kilometres from the Westray mine.
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