Political fallout already felt in aftermath of mine tragedy

Political fallout is already evident in Halifax and Ottawa following an explosion in the Westray coal mine at Plymouth, N.S., that killed 15 miners instantly and left another 11 missing.

A methane gas explosion ripped through the mine, owned by Curragh Resources (TSE), at 5:18 a.m. May 9. At presstime, rescue teams continued to search for the missing miners who were working underground at the time of the blast. The political controversy focuses on the $80 million in federal loan guarantees and $12 million in provincial money that made Westray’s opening a year ago possible.

Both the provincial and federal governments were warned in a 1987 confidential report from the Cape Breton Development Corp. (Devco), a federal Crown corporation, that a deep coal mine in Pictou Cty. would be neither safe nor economic. The report, first obtained by CBC’s fifth estate in 1990, said the Pictou Cty. region had a history of geological faults and methane that would make a mine “extremely liable to spontaneous combustion.” As well, Energy Minister Jake Epp acknowledged May 11 that officials of his department had expressed their own concerns about methane. Outside the Commons, Epp said a study by the Energy department had pointed to the dangers of methane gas deposits at the Westray mine site without making a recommendation one way or the other. Support for the mine was eventually recommended by the Industry department. Before agreeing to provide assistance for Westray, the federal cabinet saw the study that warned of large methane gas deposits in the region’s geological structure, but Epp said cabinet believed the methane would be handled by new technology.

The Devco report also warned that the market for thermal coal wasn’t big enough to accommodate both a Pictou mine and Devco’s own mining operations. Nova Scotia lent the company $12 million. And the government-owned Nova Scotia Power Corp. signed a 15-year contract to buy 700,000 tonnes of coal a year for a power plant in nearby Trenton, N.S.

The Westray mine is in Nova Scotia Premier Donald Cameron’s home riding and the federal riding of Central Nova. That is the riding where Prime Minister Brian Mulroney first won a seat in a 1983 byelection after becoming leader of the Conservative party.

Cameron, who lives near the mine and pushed for its development, suggested that Westray may never reopen.

“I think it would be a long time before, if ever, the mine would operate again,” said Cameron, who visited the mine and knew one of the dead miners. Many local residents, however, still welcome the economic benefits that come from coal mining in the area.

John Hayden, who volunteered at Plymouth Community Centre, said people know the dangers of mining and said the deaths should not force the mine’s permanent closing. “You can’t blame anybody,” said Hayden. “All miners know they are taking a chance. It’s a terrible accident, we know so many of them.” Curragh Chairman Clifford Frame visited families at the fire hall in Plymouth. “Our hearts are filled with concern for the families and friends of our lost miners,” said Frame. “We extend our deepest sympathy to them.” Meeting reporters for the first time as well, Frame talked of his own experiences with mine disasters. “I can express this sympathy with sincere reality myself, having lost a brother in the mine and my father in the mining industry,” he said.

While Frame stressed his background as a mine engineer and his 40 years in the industry, he deflected any questions about mine safety, saying the company is focusing on rescue efforts.

Frame said the company won’t comment on safety issues until two inquiries, one by the government, another an independent investigation to be led by a judge, wrap up.

“There’s going to be . . . an inquiry, and we’re going to bring our own experts in to examine the mine workings,” said Frame, who looked tired after just returning from Tokyo.

“So in all probability we will be unable to answer many of those questions (about safety) while the investigations go on.”

Asked about the Foord seam, Frame said: “I said I have 40 years of mining experience. The answer to that is obvious, I don’t know any mine that doesn’t have methane in it.”

By presstime, it was slow going for the searchers trying to reach the 12 missing men. Co-ordinated by a team of experts 350 metres above and each packing 16 kg of breathing equipment, they faced the constant threat of poisonous carbon monoxide and volatile methane gas.

“It’s very hard for us, sitting or standing here in this room, to imagine the effects of walking up that grade, in low light levels, in high humidity, clothed in full working gear, wearing a heavy safety helmet and carrying equipment,” said Curragh President Colin Benner at the mine site. “You can picture it something like you’re climbing a steep hill, in the dark, wearing scuba gear.”

Efforts were delayed by the need to bring fresh air down into the mine. Advance crews — there are about 75 men from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick working to free the miners — are burdened with heavy breathing apparatus and must wade through water, cope with smoldering coal and scramble over and around rocks and rubble from roof collapses.

The main problem is a rockfall obstructing the way to the two working areas in the mine’s deepest reaches where the men were working before the blast. Communication was lost with the miners immediately after the 5:18 a.m. explosion. It hurled beams down shafts, ripped through a metal shed at the mine entrance, smashed windows, rocked houses and scattered black ash over this quiet blue-collar community.

It also wiped out power and most of the ventilation in the 1.6-km main tunnel which descends steeply below the Trans-Canada Highway.

“We’re still considering them as missing men,” Benner said. “That’s all I can say.”

The rescuers, known as draegermen, found the bodies of 11 miners May 10 and three more on May 13.

“All bodies were identified visually, all bodies were intact,” said RCMP Constable Ivan Baker of the 11 found initially. “There was some burning and injury consistent with the explosion.” The 12 dead were identified as Larry Bell, 25, Eureka, N.S.; Ferris Dewan, 35, Grande Cache, Alta.; Adonis Dollimont, 36, Saskatoon; Robert Doyle, 22, Plymouth, N.S.; Robert Fraser, 29, Westville, N.S.; Myles Gillis, 32, Antigonish, N.S.; Trevor Jahn, 36, Grande Cache; Eugene Johnson, 33, Westville; Harry McCallum, 41, Truro, N.S.; Eric McIsaac, 38, River Hebert, N.S. and Romeo Short, 35, Triton, Nfld. The three found May 13 had not been identified by presstime. The Bank of Nova Scotia announced that it will be accepting contributions to the Pictou Cty. “We Care” fund to aid victims of the Westray disaster. Contributions will be accepted at all branches across Canada. Benner said offers of help in the rescue have been overwhelming. “We have been contacted by almost every world mining authority that has had reason to be experts in this field — coal mines in South Africa, from the United States Bureau of Mines, all the provinces in Canada.” Benner denied charges by unionists and former Westray workers that the company allowed unsafe mining practices, such as smoking underground and the use of acetylene torches and machines with electric starters. “Some people are assuming that human error is the only possible cause of such a tragedy,” he said. “Mother Nature cannot always be predicted or controlled.” Later, Nova Scotia New Democratic Party leader Alexa McDonough spoke both in the legislature and to reporters.

“The fact of the matter is . . . this is not the result of an act of God,” she said. “This was the result of public policy; the result of an agenda driven by politics.”

Westray officially opened Sept. 11, 1991. At Curragh’s 1991 annual meeting, Frame told shareholders the mine’s development was part of a long-term strategy to diversify the company’s interests.

Curragh expected to produce more than a million tonnes of coal a year for 15 years in return for its $120-million investment.

–With files from Southam News