Pike River families block way to mine

Having newly gained control of the mine access road, Pike River families last night vowed to rise at the crack of dawn today to block Solid Energy’s attempts to seal the ‘‘crime scene’’.

Family members of the 29 men killed at Pike River in 2010, along with their supporters, have been protesting at the Pike River mine access road since November 12.

They want to stop mine owners, Solid Energy, from permanently sealing the mine with concrete before the drift – a tunnel leading into the mine – is explored.

Bernie Monk, who lost his son Michael in the disaster, announced last night the families had been gifted legal control of the access road by landowner Colin van der Geest. Now the families would not allow Solid Energy access to seal the mine.

Monk confirmed trespass orders would be handed out to anyone using the land without permission. ‘‘The gentleman concerned, that owns the piece of land, rung me and said ‘well I’ve got this piece of road that there’s no access that anyone’s got on it’.

‘‘We’ll be doing the same thing that Solid Energy have done for us over the last coming-up six years and see how they like it,’’ Monk said. ‘‘Now they have to listen to us.’’ A letter from van der Geest to Monk showed there was no easement for the right of access in place for the land.

West Coast support for the families’ protest had been overwhelming, Monk said.

‘‘All the contractors have pulled the pin on Solid Energy.’’

Monk said the disaster had affected the landowner’s family.

‘‘Believe it or not, Michael [Monk] actually built their house.

‘‘When Michael was killed they came to us and asked us if we’d like to come through the house, because they were so proud of what he’d done for them,’’ Monk said.

Van der Geest wrote in his letter his family had ‘‘deep sympathy’’ for what the Pike River families had been going through and ‘‘respect your right to take this action’’.

Monk said the Department of Conservation would be granted access, as would anyone completing safety work.

‘‘We’ll be in Wellington on Tuesday to take our new expert plan for re-entry to Bill English. He has the chance to do what his predecessor [John Key] wouldn’t and call off the sealing of the mine.

‘‘Pike River is a crime-scene and we want to get into the drift to recover our loved ones’ remains and the evidence that might be down there.

‘‘We’re not going to let the opportunity to get answers get buried under hundreds of tons of concrete,’’ Monk said.