Explosion at abandoned West Coast mine

There has been an explosion in an abandoned coal mine on the West Coast thought to have been caused by an underground fire.

The Kiwi Party Cooperative coal mine exploded this morning, sending smoke billowing high in the sky above the Ten Mile valley, north of Rapahoe, according to witnesses.

Contractors working on a ridge above the mine for Geotech reported they heard a boom.

"It was a sonic boom. Then we could see big billows of black smoke and gasses going skyward," witness Don Levy said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries. The mine has not been used for a number of years and there should not have been anyone in the valley.

Mr Levy suspected the explosion was triggered by a recent fire. A shed filled with coal at the mine site went up in flames in a suspected arson a few weeks ago.

Geotech staff think the fire may have since travelled to the mouth of the mine, following a coal seam. Underground fires are notoriously hard to put out and some have been smouldering for more than 100 years.

Solid Energy has spent years battling an out-of-control underground fire at the former Strongman mine site in the nearby Nine Mile Valley.

Kiwi One mine owner Terry Birchfield could not be reached for comment. The West Coast Regional Council was unaware of the fire until contacted by the Greymouth Star.

- NZPA