On the 21 January 1960 a major calamity befell the coal mine at Coalbrook, situated in the Northern Free State 21km south west of Vereeniging. 437 miners were buried alive 180 meters below the surface when an estimated 900 pillars collapsed. A major rescue effort was undertaken, unfortunately without any positive results.
This article covers the history of the coal mine, the events leading up to the disaster, the causes, the aftermath and what we find there today.
The Clydesdale Collieries about 1910 (Ref 1)
The Mine
The first shaft was sunk in 1904 to a depth of 437 feet, the company was the The Clydesdale (Transvaal) Collieries Company Ltd. Production commenced in March 1905 at a rate of 12 000 tons per annum. Production increased over the years reaching 500 000 tons by 1950.
A step-up in production came with the construction of the Taaibos power station and after that also the Highveld power station on a property near the mine. The first turbine at Taaibos was commissioned in December 1954. Other units followed...
