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| Daw Mill colliery production halted after 'ferocious' fire | Daw Mill colliery production halted after 'ferocious' fire |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Coal production has stopped because of a "ferocious"' underground fire at Warwickshire's last deep mine. | Coal production has stopped because of a "ferocious"' underground fire at Warwickshire's last deep mine. |
| One hundred and six miners were evacuated from Daw Mill Colliery after the blaze broke out 1,770 ft (540m) below the surface on Friday afternoon. | One hundred and six miners were evacuated from Daw Mill Colliery after the blaze broke out 1,770 ft (540m) below the surface on Friday afternoon. |
| Kevin McCullough of UK Coal said: "This fire is on a scale not seen for decades - the industry has seen nothing like it for between 30 and 50 years." | Kevin McCullough of UK Coal said: "This fire is on a scale not seen for decades - the industry has seen nothing like it for between 30 and 50 years." |
| Daw Mill was scheduled to close next year and its future is now in doubt. | Daw Mill was scheduled to close next year and its future is now in doubt. |
| The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion at an old coalface where salvage work was being carried out, said UK Coal. | The fire was caused by spontaneous combustion at an old coalface where salvage work was being carried out, said UK Coal. |
| 'Unprecedented in scale' | |
| In a statement, UK Coal said the fire had put the future of the mine "seriously in doubt" and the firm would consult over coming weeks with the workforce on the implications for them. | |
| Mr McCullough, the company's chief executive, said 96 miners were initially evacuated. | Mr McCullough, the company's chief executive, said 96 miners were initially evacuated. |
| A team of 14 remained underground to try to bring the fire under control. | A team of 14 remained underground to try to bring the fire under control. |
| He said: "We deal with these fires regularly but this one was unprecedented in its scale and it became clear to keep the men underground was not the right thing to do and they were safely evacuated. | He said: "We deal with these fires regularly but this one was unprecedented in its scale and it became clear to keep the men underground was not the right thing to do and they were safely evacuated. |
| "The suddenness of the fire and its ferocity is something we train for and hope never to see, so the safe evacuation of over 100 miners is something the whole team can be proud of." | "The suddenness of the fire and its ferocity is something we train for and hope never to see, so the safe evacuation of over 100 miners is something the whole team can be proud of." |
| Mr McCullough said the fire was still burning on Monday morning, although it was showing signs of subsiding. | Mr McCullough said the fire was still burning on Monday morning, although it was showing signs of subsiding. |
| He said staff were able to work on the surface of the mine but management teams were assessing the future of the site. | He said staff were able to work on the surface of the mine but management teams were assessing the future of the site. |
| UK Coal said it did not expect mining at the pit in Arley, near Coventry, to resume in anything less than three to six months. | UK Coal said it did not expect mining at the pit in Arley, near Coventry, to resume in anything less than three to six months. |
| 'Just speculation' | |
| Chris Kitchen, general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers, said all staff at the colliery were asked to go to work on Monday as normal. | |
| Those without specific jobs were sent home for the day on full pay. | |
| He said: "It could be 72 hours before the fire is put out. | |
| "Talk of work not starting up in that part of the colliery for another three to six months is just speculation." | |
| The closure scheduled for 2014 could lead to the loss of about 800 jobs. | The closure scheduled for 2014 could lead to the loss of about 800 jobs. |