Investigation of a coal-mine explosion and relevance of risk assessment

An explosion in the Middelbult coal mine at Secunda, Mpumalanga (previously Eastern Transvaal), owned by the South African Synthetic Oil Company (Saso l), caused the death of 53 mineworkers on 13 May, 1993. An international te am was formed to investigate the locus and possible contribution of coal du st, to provide an opinion on the causes of the explosion and to make recomm endations as to how a recurrence may be avoided. The methods adopted in the investigation tin particular, by the team member from the United Kingdom) are described, together with the conclusions reached by the team as the fir st part of their remit; detailed conclusions on the development of the expl osion, from an ignition of a small volume of methane to a major coal-dust e xplosion, which the United Kingdom investigator provided for the Secunda co urt, are recorded. The way in which risk assessment might have contributed to avoiding the explosion is explored. The formal legal procedures followed in South Africa for the conduct by a magistrate of a joint inquest-inquiry , as prescribed by Section 28(6) of the Minerals Act 1991, are reviewed and the conclusions are summarized.