Communities remember Gleision mine disaster ten years on

On September 15th 2011 four men lost their lives when water flooded into the Cilibebyll mine

Emergency services at the scene of the Gleision Mine where Charles Breslin, David Powell, Garry Jenkins and Philip Hilllost their lives ten years ago
Author: Polly OliverPublished 15th Sep 2021
Last updated 15th Sep 2021

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the South Wales Gleision Mining disaster.

Four men - Charles Breslin, David Powell, Garry Jenkins and Philip Hill - lost their lives after a drift mine flooded following a routine explosion at the Swansea Valley site.

Phil Davies was a chief superintendent with South Wales Police at the time:

"I will never forget the faces of the families when I went to that community centre

"Over the next 48 hours I could see the pain in their eyes, the pain that they were going through and just that hope that they might still be alive"

The owners and manager of the mine were cleared of manslaughter charges related to the accident following a trial in 2014.

Full inquests have never been held, which has left families of the men still seeking answers about their deaths.

Gary Evans is emergency services liaison officer with South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue.

They were called to the scene as events began to unfold, and four divers went into the mine.

"We were just trying to establish whether anyone was beyond the flooded section and whether they were awaiting assistance.

"Sadly that wasn't to be and sadly one of the miners was found beyond the flooded section and they were deceased.

"The divers returned to report that and that was a very sad moment for everyone because that was the first time we knew what we were really dealing with."