RIP

News has just broken of a second explosion at the mine.

It is now inevitable that there were no survivors of the Pike River explosion. It had already become quite clear none of the 29 survived the initial blast – this will eventually be confirmed by pathologists.

For now we mourn New Zealand’s worst disaster since Erebus 31 years ago.

Rest in peace:

  1. Conrad John Adams, 43, Greymouth
  2. Malcolm Campbell, 25, Greymouth (Scottish)
  3. Glen Peter Cruse, 35, Cobden
  4. Allan John Dixon, 59, Runanga
  5. Zen Wodin Drew, 21, Greymouth
  6. Christopher Peter Duggan, 31, Greymouth
  7. Joseph Ray Dunbar, 17, Greymouth
  8. John Leonard Hale, 45, Ruatapu
  9. Daniel Thomas Herk, 36, Runanga
  10. David Mark Hoggart, 33, Greymouth
  11. Richard Bennett Holling, 41, Blackball
  12. Andrew David Hurren, 32, Hokitika
  13. Jacobus (Koos) Albertus Jonker, 47, Cobden (South Africa)
  14. William John Joynson, 49, Dunollie Australia
  15. Riki Steve Keane, 28, Greymouth.
  16. Terry David Kitchin, 41, Runanga
  17. Samuel Peter Mackie, 26, Greymouth
  18. Francis Skiddy Marden, 41, Runanga
  19. Michael Nolan Hanmer Monk, 23, Greymouth
  20. Stuart Gilbert Mudge, 31, Runanga.
  21. Kane Barry Nieper, 33, Greymouth
  22. Peter O’Neill, 55, Runanga
  23. Milton John Osborne, 54, Ngahere
  24. Brendan John Palmer, 27, Cobden
  25. Benjamin David Rockhouse, 21, Greymouth
  26. Peter James Rodger, 40, Greymouth (British)
  27. Blair David Sims, 28, Greymouth
  28. Joshua Adam Ufer, 25, Australia
  29. Keith Thomas Valli, 62, Winton.

The graphic is from the NZ Herald site. if you go there, you can click on each photo to read details of each of the deceased.

All my thoughts are with families and friends of the dead, and the entire West Coast community. Those of us from outside can only try and imagine what this must be like.

Incidentally the second explosion should be a lesson to the self appointed experts demanding people rush in. If they had been in charge, there could be many more dead.

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