2 men injured in ex-colliery explosion

Two security guards are in a serious condition in hospital after being injured in an explosion at an ex-colliery.

The explosion happened at the former Welbeck Colliery in Nottinghamshire, on the evening of Saturday 31st December.

The men suffered serious facial burns and are in a critical but stable condition at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre.

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “It is understood that the men were working at the site as security personnel. Detectives are liaising with the site owners, UK Coal, with the fire service and the Health and Safety Executive to determine the sequence of events leading up to the incident.”

A spokeswoman for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service added: “The fire itself was very small. The main issue was the explosion itself and the two people injured.”

An investigation is now underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion.