Has John Key handled the decision to seal Pike River poorly?

**neels** · 14th January 2011, 18:58

It hasn't been handled as well as it could have been.

Much like the way for a long time after the first explosion they were still searching for survivors, then the next one happened they immediately stated that they were all dead.

This announcement has been similar, stringing families along with the belief that they will recover the bodies of the dead, then rather abruptly announcing that they're not going to bother.

Can't have made it easy for those with loved ones that were down there.

**Cloggy** · 14th January 2011, 19:40

I don't understand what is going on here.
What I do know is that if one of my family was down in that mine I'd want to know if there are bodies or remains left to recover. To simply seal it up now and say "That's it", is unacceptable.
We can send men into outer space, we can send men down deep into the oceans, both very inhospitable places, yet we can't send someone or some robot machine into a mine filled with gas to go and have a look??

**Kookie** · 14th January 2011, 19:49

Originally Posted by Cloggy

I don't understand what is going on here.
What I do know is that if one of my family was down in that mine I'd want to know if there are bodies or remains left to recover. To simply seal it up now and say "That's it", is unacceptable.

Well said. I'd also want to know.. For closures sake if nothing else. I would always wonder what if, without it.

**Swoop** · 14th January 2011, 19:57

Originally Posted by shrub

It seems to me from a quick obervation that he could well lose all the goodwill he earned when it all happened.

Hold your horses and get your facts straight.

The police took over the "incident", even though they had no expertise in this area.

The police have now played slope-shoulders and handed everything to the receiver's of Pike River Mine to sort out from here. Being a company in receivership the almighty dollar would certainly come into play here. JK stated that "if it only came down to the dollars" then it would be an easy situation and $$$'s would be thrown at a solution.

The GAG unit appears to have run out of puff, and the Aussies appear to want it back (according to Te NEWS).

But never let the facts get in the way of a good rant, eh? It had to be the fault of JK.

**onearmedbandit** · 14th January 2011, 20:00

Originally Posted by Cloggy

I don't understand what is going on here.
What I do know is that if one of my family was down in that mine I'd want to know if there are bodies or remains left to recover. To simply seal it up now and say "That's it", is unacceptable.
We can send men into outer space, we can send men down deep into the oceans, both very inhospitable places, yet we can't send someone or some robot machine into a mine filled with gas to go and have a look??

Yeah, obviously the experts just can't be fucked going down there...

**EJK** · 14th January 2011, 20:02

No hard feelings for the family or all related but this just reminds me of an idiom:
"They have dug their own graves."

**Wannabiker** · 14th January 2011, 20:17

...I see on the news there was a lawyer in the background advancing the families causes, fuelling their emotions ....and will continue to do so until their money dries up. With an estimated $4 Billion in coal in there, they must feel they have pretty good reason to close it up.

I honestly dont know what they hope to find after that long in 1000 degree heat...it would be unlikely to even have dental remains...

**mashman** · 14th January 2011, 20:35

the only thing I don't understand, and i'm an expert, because I watched the chilean mine disaster on TV, is why instead of trying to clear 2kms of shaft with an engine, they didn't just drill down to the area from above a la chile. I'm sure there must be a perfectly good explanation for that.

If it's not a case of $$$, then why have they stopped after all this time? I would have thought, JK being such a smart man, that he would have spoken with the families and explained that they would continue for another week and if no progress was made, then they'd seal it. JK should have made the initial announcement, not Broad.

**davebullet** · 14th January 2011, 20:41

Originally Posted by mashman

the only thing I don't understand, and i'm an expert, because I watched the chilean mine disaster on TV, is why instead of trying to clear 2kms of shaft with an engine, they didn't just drill down to the area from above a la chile. I'm sure there must be a perfectly good explanation for that..

'Cause there were flames about 20 foot high at the surface of the existing vent. So I'm guessing any new drilling with more gas down there and sparking and up she goes in the new vent.

**mashman** · 14th January 2011, 20:45

Originally Posted by davebullet

'Cause there were flames about 20 foot high at the surface of the existing vent. So I'm guessing any new drilling with more gas down there and sparking and up she goes in the new vent.

fair enough, so how was the GAG supposed to help?

**Mully** · 14th January 2011, 20:47

Originally Posted by mashman

fair enough, so how was the GAG supposed to help?

IIRC, it was starving the fire of oxygen. Well, it was meant to.

**Coldrider** · 14th January 2011, 21:19

When the pointy end of the stick starts being poked around by the various investigations and Royal Commission, plus Labour Department and/or Police can lay charges on their own totally separate from other investigations, they'll all be running for cover.

**R6_kid:Me** · 14th January 2011, 22:00

Anyone who did science knows that a flame will only burn as long as it has oxygen to do so. The flame from the first explosion would have burnt up all the oxygen in there at the time, and the only safe place then was the safe room which has a separate air supply to the rest of the tunnel system.

Repeat said flame situation four times, and it's impossible that anyone has survived, I would say that they would have been very (un)lucky to survive the first one and still be down there.

Now you have a coal fire burning up any remaining oxygen, most likely burning 'dirty' or in a lack of oxygen yet maintain enough heat to re-ignite as soon as the oxygen saturation meets the required amount. I would say that there is nothing left down there and closing it up is the best thing they can do, but you'd have to be realistic that if/when it is safe to go down there again that there isn't going to be a whole lot to retrieve.

**shrub** · 15th January 2011, 06:10

Originally Posted by Swoop

Hold your horses and get your facts straight.

The police took over the "incident", even though they had no expertise in this area.

The police have now played slope-shoulders and handed everything to the receiver's of Pike River Mine to sort out from here. Being a company in receivership the almighty dollar would certainly come into play here. JK stated that "if it only came down to the dollars" then it would be an easy situation and $$$'s would be thrown at a solution.

The GAG unit appears to have run out of puff, and the Aussies appear to want it back (according to Te NEWS).

But never let the facts get in the way of a good rant, eh? It had to be the fault of JK.

Key must be glad he has you to defend him. Read my posts again, I never blamed Key for anything but was merely pointing out that this was badly handled from a PR perspective.