Engineering news
One of the UK's last remaining coal mines is set to shut, leaving hundreds of employees out of a job.
The decision to close Daw Mill Colliery, in north Warwickshire, follows a major fire that broke out last month. The fire is the largest in a UK coal mine for over 30 years.
A small team will remain on site to secure the mine, but owner UK Coal Mine Holdings said that around 650 workers will be made redundant.
The company confirmed that the fire is still burning ferociously at a depth of 740 metres, with no signs of it reducing despite ventilation being turned off to starve the flames of oxygen.
Kevin McCullough, chief executive of UK Coal Mine Holdings, said: “This has been a terrible week, not just for the company and its employees but also for the energy security of the country, as it brings an end to 47 years of coal production at Daw Mill.”
Energy minister John Hayes commented: “Our priority during this unsettling time for employees is to ensure that everyone is given our full support. I know there is an opportunity for some workers to be redeployed at UK Coal's other deep mines at Thoresby and Kellingley.”
It is the latest blow to the UK's coal industry after Hargreaves Services said last November that Maltby Colliery in Rotherham, which has been producing coal for more than 100 years, is to close because it is no longer viable on health and safety grounds.
Daw Mill has been at risk of closure since March last year when it was announced that a restructuring was needed to safeguard its medium-term future.
A complex overhaul of the business achieved “medium-term security” for the mine, providing it was able to produce coal safely, reliably and efficiently.
McCullough added: “Having successfully completed the restructuring, and being only weeks away from returning to healthy production, this ferocious fire has dealt a blow to everything we tried to achieve over the last 12 months - in just 10 days.”
The company said it was exploring the possible transfer of some staff to other mines.