Colin has done an excellent job in explaining the workings and the disaster at Pike River. To those that have not watched this, I urge you to watch every minute of it..

Very informative lecture and presentation by Colin Smith. Well explained what led to the disaster.

Colin Smith needs to be recognized formally/officially for his work in this presentation. I have just watched this video from start to finish uninterpreted and learned the greatest amount of the Pike River Tragedy. I must say I am a little disappointed in the current total views number of 12,135 as of 8/08/2020. I will certainly do my best to market the video as I believe it should be viewed by all New Zealanders effectively...lets start perhaps with it being distributed to all high schools. Probably the greatest unfortunate aspect I learned near the end of the video is that the Pike River Tragedy is now an international case study of the worst possible development and operation of a Coal Mine. We New Zealanders need to own that tragic fact. I believe all New Zealanders also need to own the fight to hold those responsible for the tragedy and seek JUSTICE for the families of the 29 Pike River Mine workers who lost their lives. Because as Colin Smith said, "The Pike River Mine tragedy could have been avoided if some of the people in the highest authoritative positions within the operation of the mine DID THEIR JOBS as best as they possibly could and STOP the operation of the Mine BEFORE the 4 explosions". People need to be held to account rather than hide behind legislation. The damn GOVERNMENT needs to be held to account for changing legislation that led to repeal of the Coal Mines Act 1979 (1st April 1993). The Health & Safety in Employment Act 1992 totally FAILED the Pike River Mine tragedy. Transferring of the Specialist Mines Inspection Group from the Ministry of Commerce to the Department of Labour and the consequential DECLINE of those Specialists Mine Inspector Group under the Department of Labour. All the intellectual property was totally WIPED OUT with the tapping of a computer keyboard. This is a National Disgrace! This was the beginning of the END of the Pike River Mine and it hadn't even begun. It was the FIRST DUCK to be lined UP! Colin Smith's excellent portrayal here line's up all the DUCKS in the unforgivable ROW that leads to the Pike River Mine tragedy. It could have been avoided - if SOMEONE SAID STOP! But no one did. Instead the mouths were gagged by one thing and one thing only; PROFIT. $$$$$$$$$ before HUMAN LIVES. Profit before People. Money before Humanity. GREED before LIFE.

Wow what a fantastic video. I am so pleased some one has spoken out about the mine and what went wrong. On the day of the first explosion I said to my boy what had happened and what needed to happen next. I grew up in Canterbury. My father and grandfather owned the coalgate mine. I knew the old mines inspector Harry Bell.

Colin Smith -- You're a Lawyer , so why not file a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT on behalf of the Families against the Dept. of Labor and the Management of the Mining Company ; and then file multiple WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUITS against ALL of the individuals responsible . The ONLY way that the Families are going to get any satisfaction is to hurt those persons whom are responsible in their respective WALLETS .

"Mine manager Doug White - came from a highly prescriptive mining industry.......... why did he not stop that mine ......." because he is not a man of any integrity.

Sad to see that one can still kill others "legally" !!!!

When this disaster happened, I thought it ODD that rescuers were not allowed in immediately AFTER the explosion! That is usually the safest time, before a new build up of gas occurs! These men were deliberately abandoned! Was it pig-headedness on the part of a police officer, or something sinister? What qualifications in mine rescue did this police officer have - if any?????????

The Pike River Mine cover up, reminds me of the cover up attempted regarding the crashed airliner, that flew from NZ to Antartica and crashed into a mountain!!!!!!!!!!

No Methane Drainage !! Prior to Mining!!. The Differences of Geography does Not Explain the Lack of Drilling to Remove ( And Use) Methane. This Alone a Big Failure by the Management. Also Even with Excellent Ventilation, you Must Manage Day to Day Methane and this must be Intelligent, therefore Gas Instruments at the Face and on the Machines is Critical. The Expertise of the Miners and Tradies is Critical to what actions they take, Sound Underground Mine Managers go to the Face from Time to Time to Check on the Reality. Nothing Worse than a Management that does Not Go Underground and Check. So Colin is Right about Poor Leadership. The Exchanges of Culture and Coal Economics between Australia and NZ obviously played a part in this, hence using Australian Type Coal Machines is a lot to do with this, so is the Turn Over of Staff. This Explosion should Never have Occured. For Now, the issues of Responsibility, should take a Back Seat, To Safe Remote Controlled Recovery of the Deceased. This can be Done, Needs a Good Team, Plus Obviously Money. Charity Can Help with the Recovery. Well done Colin Smith and Otago Uni.

5 to 15 percent until you add coal dust into the equation and that percentage is dropped to half

Forgot to say, and got way with it !!

You have a gassy mine and you use non explosion proof electrical gear what do you think can happen

You just have to look at the current TV advertisements about NZ being amongst the highest workplace accident country so it is still prevalent. One would hope the WorkSafe initiatives are addressing this but it is easy to comprehend happening 6 or so years ago. And with coal being is a lesser demand then and now the tight initiatives obviously surpassed maintaining equipment and added pressure for productivity.

Explosion was in the center most part of the mine, when the explosion happened oxygen was depleted which made the explosion not run down into the mine. Unfortunately they may have suffocated

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Grosvenor coal mine 2020. Unacceptable!!!!!!

The miners did not die because of the explosion

At least Helen Clark got a nice job out of all this mismanagement

Colin explains this fantastic the management should be in prison