ON the morning of Thursday March 22, 1962, a methane gas explosion ripped through the Rise Two District of Hapton Valley Colliery colliery, killing 16 men instantly. Another three later lost their lives.
The worst colliery disaster in Burnley's long history of coal mining plunged the town into a state of shock.
Forty-one years on a memorial service to mark the Hapton Valley pit disaster was attended by more than 100 people yesterday.
Friends and relatives of the miners killed in the explosion gathered at noon at the memorial in Burnley Cemetery.
Two of the survivors, William Swainbank and Bob O'Hara remembered their workmates as wreaths were laid by members of the community and the Mayor of Burnley, Coun Gordon Birtwistle. They were working at the coal face when disaster struck.
The service was led by Father John Haigh, of St Mark's Church, in Rossendale Road.
Fr Haigh said: "Even after all this time people still come, young and old, people who were there and relatives of those who died and people who weren't even born when that tragic event took place.
"It is symbolic of the community that we have in Burnley."
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