GAG machine working well at mine

The specially designed jet engine, GAG, in action working to clear the mine of gases following the deaths of the 29 miners at Pike River in Greymouth. Photo / NZPA

A machine brought in from Australia to put out fires burning in the Pike River Coal mine is working well after it started operating overnight.

It is hoped that the GAG (Gorniczy Agregat Gasniczy) machine will put out the fires with the use of water vapour so teams can attempt to recover the bodies of the 29 men from the West Coast mine.

There had been delays using the machine in the past two days because of difficulties in sealing the mine.

However, the mine was sealed by about 10.30pm yesterday and the GAG unit had been up and running overnight.

The GAG was pumping CO2 into the mine. Early indications were that it was helping to extinguish the fire and the mine was stabilising, said Tasman area police commander Superintendent Gary Knowles.

"We are still testing the air and it seems that it is doing its job," Mr Knowles said late this afternoon.

"Once it is safe we will go to the (mine) portal."

The GAG, a modified jet engine, would be worked in stages so it could be rested.

Once the mine atmosphere was inert, work would start to cool the temperature inside the mine to enable the recovery team to enter. That was likely to involve pumping nitrogen into the mine.

Mine experts have warned it would not be a quick process, and Mr Knowles said today that it would be a matter of weeks, not days.

At 2pm, everyone at the mine observed two minutes' silence.

It was a difficult time for everyone, he said.

- NZPA