Emergency services are conducting a "difficult rescue operation" after four miners became trapped in a flooded colliery in Pontardawe, near Swansea.
South Wales police said officers, with fire and ambulance crews, were called to the Gleision colliery at 9.20am.
Superintendent Phil Davies said three other miners had managed to escape. He said one of them was being treated in hospital but the other two were giving rescuers "a lot of information about what has happened".
He said: "There is not a blockage issue in the mine, it is a water issue which we are currently trying to drain.
"We are dealing with a difficult rescue operation but we are doing everything possible." He added that "everybody who needs to be there is there."
The small hillside mine, near Cilybebyll, has been in operation since 1993.
Councillor Arthur Threlfall, who serves on Cilybebyll community council, described the situation as very worrying. He said: "I understand the injured man was taken to hospital via helicopter. The mine is in quite a remote spot. At the moment, you cannot go anywhere near it because a large area around it has been cordoned off by the police.
"Gleision is one of those collieries that has open and shut many times, and they tend to work on the basis of when coal is found. However, it has recently been extended.
"This is the first mining disaster I have known for many years. There are not many collieries left like there used to be. However, it is a very worrying situation and it has shocked a lot of people."
The Neath MP and shadow Welsh secretary, Peter Hain, also expressed his concern. He said: "I am immediately seeking information on the miners' predicament.
"I am asking what action needs to be taken urgently by all relevant authorities to secure their safety."
by Steven Morris taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/15/miners-trapped-south-wales-coalmine
South Wales police said officers, with fire and ambulance crews, were called to the Gleision colliery at 9.20am.
Superintendent Phil Davies said three other miners had managed to escape. He said one of them was being treated in hospital but the other two were giving rescuers "a lot of information about what has happened".
He said: "There is not a blockage issue in the mine, it is a water issue which we are currently trying to drain.
"We are dealing with a difficult rescue operation but we are doing everything possible." He added that "everybody who needs to be there is there."
The small hillside mine, near Cilybebyll, has been in operation since 1993.
Councillor Arthur Threlfall, who serves on Cilybebyll community council, described the situation as very worrying. He said: "I understand the injured man was taken to hospital via helicopter. The mine is in quite a remote spot. At the moment, you cannot go anywhere near it because a large area around it has been cordoned off by the police.
"Gleision is one of those collieries that has open and shut many times, and they tend to work on the basis of when coal is found. However, it has recently been extended.
"This is the first mining disaster I have known for many years. There are not many collieries left like there used to be. However, it is a very worrying situation and it has shocked a lot of people."
The Neath MP and shadow Welsh secretary, Peter Hain, also expressed his concern. He said: "I am immediately seeking information on the miners' predicament.
"I am asking what action needs to be taken urgently by all relevant authorities to secure their safety."
by Steven Morris taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/sep/15/miners-trapped-south-wales-coalmine
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