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Kellingley pit death: Company 'at a loss' to explain incident Kellingley pit death: Company 'at a loss' to explain incident
(40 minutes later)
The company which runs a Yorkshire pit where a roof collapse killed a miner and injured another says it is "at a loss" to explain what happened. The company which runs a Yorkshire pit where a roof collapse killed a miner and injured another says it is "at a loss" to explain the cause.
An investigation team from police and the Health and Safety Executive has spent the night underground at Kellingley colliery in North Yorkshire.An investigation team from police and the Health and Safety Executive has spent the night underground at Kellingley colliery in North Yorkshire.
Andrew McIntosh, UK Coal spokesman, said it was "difficult to say" what had happened.Andrew McIntosh, UK Coal spokesman, said it was "difficult to say" what had happened.
The miner who died at the scene was in his 40s and from North Yorkshire. Tuesday's incident is the third death at Kellingley in three years.
Miner Ian Cameron died after equipment fell on him on 18 October 2009 and in September 2008, Don Cook died in a rock fall.
'Absolute tragedy'
The miner who died on Tuesday was in his 40s and from North Yorkshire.
The second man, who suffered minor injuries, was also in his 40s but from West Yorkshire, police said. He was taken to Pinderfields Hospital for treatment.The second man, who suffered minor injuries, was also in his 40s but from West Yorkshire, police said. He was taken to Pinderfields Hospital for treatment.
Mr McIntosh said: "We're at a loss to know at this stage exactly what's happened.
"It was a very good face for working conditions, the equipment was brand new so there's nothing immediately that springs to mind but the investigation will obviously look at all of those aspects.
"It's an absolute tragedy."
The mine is on the border of North and West Yorkshire - a mile-and-a-half outside Knottingley - and is one of Britain's deepest remaining coal mines.
The two 2,600ft (800m) shafts were sunk in the late-1950s and production began 1965.
Kellingley, known by miners as "The Big K", has been a major coal producer ever since and at its height employed about 2,000 people. Today about 800 people work there.
Nigel Adams, Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty, who represents the constituency where the dead man is believed to be from, said: "Very sadly, this is the third death we've had here at Kellingley.
"Coming on the back of the Welsh tragedy it clearly resonates with people how dangerous an industry mining is."
Ken Capstick, former vice-president of the National Union of Mineworkers in Yorkshire, said events at Kellingley were "very, very worrying indeed in terms of safety".
"We've prided ourselves on being the safest mining industry in the world and so it certainly needs some serious examination," he said.
'Highest standards'
Carol Cameron, whose husband, Ian, died at Kellingley after equipment fell on him in October 2009, said she wanted the pit to close.
She said: "It should be shut down. How many other men are going to get killed down there?
"I don't think it's safe at all. It can't be or these accidents wouldn't be happening."
Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary and MP for the neighbouring Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford constituency, said she had met unions and management at Kellingley.Yvette Cooper, Shadow Home Secretary and MP for the neighbouring Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford constituency, said she had met unions and management at Kellingley.
Ms Cooper said: "Clearly everybody wants to make sure there are the highest standards of safety.Ms Cooper said: "Clearly everybody wants to make sure there are the highest standards of safety.
"When this kind of thing happens, of course you have to make sure that all those questions are answered.""When this kind of thing happens, of course you have to make sure that all those questions are answered."
Gareth Williams, managing director for mining at UK Coal, which manages Kellingley, one of the UK's largest remaining deep mines, said the roof had fallen in at 16:35 BST.
The two men were brought to the surface about three hours later.
Mr Williams said: "Colleagues successfully recovered one of the two employees trapped by the lower leg. UK Coal regrets to confirm the second colleague was confirmed dead by our own team, despite our best efforts."
Part of the mine where the accident happened is understood to be three miles lateral distance from the entrance to the pit.
The Yorkshire Ambulance Service sent a specialist hazardous area response team to the scene, together with two doctors, a rapid response vehicle, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and an incident officer.
Tuesday's accident is the third at Kellingley in three years.
On 30 November 2010, 200 workers were evacuated from the Kellingley pit after a methane explosion underground.
Miner Ian Cameron died after equipment fell on him on 18 October 2009 and in September 2008, Don Cook died in a rock fall.