Inquest into deaths of four men in 2011 mining disaster to be reopened

The families of four men who died in a South Wales mining disaster 11 years ago have been told their inquests will be reopened.

Garry Jenkins, 39, Philip Hill, 44, David Powell, 50, and Charles Breslin, 62, were killed when thousands of gallons of water flooded the Gleision drift mine, near Pontardawe, a town in the Swansea valley, on September 15 2011.

Seven men were working in the tunnels that day and only three survived.

The mine’s site manager, Malcolm Fyfield, and the company that ran the mine, MNS Mining Ltd, went on trial for gross negligence manslaughter in 2014 but were acquitted.

Following the trial, the coroner decided not to hold a full inquest into the deaths, a decision the men’s families have been campaigning to overturn ever since in desperation to get answers to what caused the tragedy.

At a hearing in Swansea Guildhall on Wednesday, senior coroner Colin Phillips said a full inquest would take place, saying there was “evidence indicative of state regulatory failings” and that there was a “real prospect” the deaths could have been avoided.

It has been alleged by lawyers representing the grieving families that the Coal Authority and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) failed to ensure plans of the workings of the mine were up to date, that precautions were taken, or that there was a second exit for the miners.

In his ruling, Mr Phillips wrote: “In simple terms, there is more than a suspicion in my view, that coal reserves were illegally worked and not mapped and safety regulations not strictly enforced for over a decade.”

The disaster happened after a routine blasting, and the families and friends of those trapped waited for hours inside Rhos Community Centre nearby as divers searched in vain for survivors in the murky, dark water.

Mr Fyfield, who is now said to be in ill health, was the only person to oppose the reopening of the inquests.

The coroner said he would be seeking disclosure of all the relevant investigation files held by South Wales Police and full transcripts from the 2014 criminal trial.

A pre-inquest review hearing will be held early in the new year to decide the issues the inquest will look at.

Plaid Cymru’s member for South Wales West, Sioned Williams, welcomed the decision but said it had taken an “absurd amount of time” to get to this point.

She said: “While today’s decision won’t bring back those who tragically lost their lives 11 years ago, a full inquest will hopefully provide those answers.”