Pike River

The families of the 29 workers killed in the series of explosions at Pike River will get the truth eventually, spokesman Bernie Monk says.

The first phase of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the series of explosion at the Pike River coal mine on the West Coast which killed 29 workers was completed in Greymouth today, with former company boss Peter Whittall testifying.

A "significant review" of the role of mine inspectors is needed, former Pike River Coal (PRC) boss, Peter Whittall, told the Royal Commission of Inquiry at Greymouth yesterday.

Former Pike River Coal (PRC) boss Peter Whittall says he was not aware of a proposal, at the initial planning stage, for the West Coast mine to have two exits.

Former Pike River Coal (PRC) boss Peter Whittall had some difficulty recruiting a safety officer for the mine, the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the disaster was told today.

A former chief inspector of coal mines warned the Department of Labour to close down the Pike River mine until ventilation issues were resolved, the Royal Commission into the November tragedy at the mine has been told.

Little Erika Millicent Ufer is oblivious to the gravity of the occasion when she turns up each day at the Greymouth courthouse.

A former chief inspector of coal mines warned the Department of Labour to close down Pike River mine until ventilation issues were resolved, the Royal Commission in to the November tragedy at the mine has been told.

The Government should act now and appoint a chief inspector of mines to improve mine safety standards, says a mine safety expert, amid revelations calls from inside the Pike River mine went to answerphone and subsequent fires at other coal mines.

A mining CEO has been accused of trying to drive down the value of Pike River mine by criticising its operation at the Royal Commission of Inquiry.

Incidents such as the explosion which ripped through the Pike River mine killing 29 men should not happen in modern mining, the chief executive of Solid Energy told the Royal Commission of Inquiry in Greymouth yesterday.

Preparations are complete for the first delicate step in re-entering the Pike River Coal mine tomorrow morning.

When a recovery team re-entered Pike River Coal mine today there was very little evidence there had been an explosion, the statutory mine manager says.

The receivers of Pike River say they do not have enough money to recover the bodies of the 29 men who died inside the West Coast mine.