PRODUCTION has restarted at a North Yorkshire colliery following an explosion which brought its operation to a halt last month.
The blast on November 30 led to more than 200 miners being evacuated from Kellingley Colliery, but the workers then had to be laid off and left receiving their basic pay, without any overtime or bonus money.
The suspension also reduced production at the mine, near Selby, by between 100,000 and 200,000 tonnes. But UK Coal said inspections had confirmed it was now safe for miners to return to the site.
The methane gas explosion is believed to have happened when temperatures hit critical levels, with nitrogen subsequently being pumped into the affected area to starve it of oxygen and return the atmosphere to normal.
UK Coal also said no machinery had been damaged and the coalface itself had also escaped unscathed. In a bid to make up the production shortfall, operations at Kellingley will continue over the Christmas and New Year period.
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