Two Die in Mine Accident
By STEVEN HENRY; CAMPBELL THOMAS
TWO men have died after a horrific accident at a coal mine.
The pair are thought to have been killed when the car in which they were travelling was crushed by a dump truck.
Emergency services were called to the Pennyvenie opencast coal mine in Dalmellington, Ayrshire, at lunchtime yesterday.
The Scottish Ambulance Service received a call at 1.30pm to say the men named locally as Colin Ferguson and Brian French had been crushed.
A spokesman said: ‘We sent two land ambulances and one air ambulance helicopter, but the two persons died at the scene due to the nature and extent of their injuries.
‘We are led to believe the dump truck ran over a Land Rovertype- vehicle containing the two persons who died.’ The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation at the site, which is owned by Scottish Coal.
Andrew Foster, managing director of Scottish Coal, said: ‘The site has been closed and will remain so until the investigation is complete.’ Local residents were shocked by news of the accident. One said: ‘They were just normal men working long hours for their families.’ Local Labour MSP and Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson spoke of her shock at the tragedy.
She said: ‘ My immediate thoughts are with the family of the two men and with the other workers, who I’m sure will be devastated.’ National Union of Mineworkers president Nicky Wilson said: ‘It’s a terrible tragedy.’ Mr Ferguson was believed to be in his 30s and had three children.
Mr French was said to be in his 50s, originally from Durham, and had moved to Scotland more than 20 years ago. He was a grandfather and father of two.
It is not the first fatal accident at the Pennyvenie site.
In 2000 Neil Hodge, of Ochiltree, Ayrshire, was on the back of a dump truck when an earth-filled skip that had been hydraulically raised fell on him.
About 140 men work at the site, which produces 750,000 tons of coal a year.
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