Aberfan 21st October 1966

[Renegade]

 

REMEMBERING ABERFAN

On October 21, 1966, the village of Aberfan, near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, suffered one of the most devastating tragedies in modern British history.

Fifty-nine years ago today, a colliery spoil tip, constructed on a mountain slope above the village, catastrophically collapsed. This spoil tip, managed by the National Coal Board, had been perilously sited over a natural spring. Heavy rainfall in the preceding days caused water to accumulate within the tip, destabilising it and triggering a sudden and catastrophic landslide of coal slurry.

The slurry surged down the hillside, engulfing Pantglas Junior School and several nearby houses. The disaster claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults, leaving an indelible scar on the Aberfan community and the nation as a whole. Most of the victims were young pupils and their teachers, caught unaware in the classrooms where they had just begun their school day.

A subsequent inquiry held the National Coal Board accountable, citing gross negligence in the management and oversight of the spoil tip. The inquiry identified specific failures by the organisation and nine named employees, highlighting a preventable tragedy born of disregarded warnings and inadequate safety measures.

The accompanying photograph, taken in the days following the disaster, captures the harrowing scale of the spoil slip and the devastation it wrought. The image serves as a sombre reminder of the human cost of industrial negligence.

The Aberfan disaster remains a poignant chapter in Welsh and British history, underscoring the importance of rigorous safety standards and corporate accountability. Today, we honour the memory of those lost, recognise the resilience of the Aberfan community, and reaffirm our commitment to ensuring such a tragedy is never repeated.

 

[Renegade]

[Catteeclan]

2 hours ago, Renegade said:

Welled up with that.