Bravery of workers who helped rescue bid praised

An official report into the disaster praised the dozens of miners who walked into the blazing pit to save their colleagues.

Without their bravery, it said, the death toll would have been far higher.

At the time of the fire, 311 men were working the night shift underground and the fact there were only nine deaths was hailed as remarkable and testament to the actions of the mines rescue teams and ordinary miners.

The men who died ranged in age from 36 to 64. They were: Philip Thomson, a married father-ofone who worked at the Michael all his life.

Harry Morrison, married with three sons and a daughter, who had swapped shifts so he could attend church duties in the morning.

Andrew Taylor, a married father-of-three, who had worked there for six months.

James Tait, a married father-of-one, who was standing in for someone else at the time.

Andrew Thomson, married with three daughters, who had worked there less than a year.

Johnson Smith, who left behind a wife and two grown-up daughters. Alex Henderson, a power loader. Hugh Gallacher, a married father-oftwo.

James McKay, who was married with a grown up family.

Medals for bravery in the rescue effort were awarded to three men, including Andrew Taylor whose body was never recovered.

The men who died ranged in age from 36 to 64.