FLAGS ACROSS Fife will be flying at half mast this weekend to mark the 40th anniversary of one of the region’s worst ever mining disasters.

Nine men died in a fire at the Michael Colliery in East Wemyss on September 9, 1967.

While four decades have passed since the tragedy, a poignant exhibition at Methil Heritage Centre proves the memory is still fresh—not least with the families of those who lost their lives.

At one time the Michael Colliery was the largest producer of coal in Scotland with a workforce of 3296 at its peak.

However, disaster struck when a fire was discovered just an hour before 311 miners were due to finish a night shift, and a mass evacuation ensued.

A 36-hour rescue operation swung into action involving the colliery’s own rescue team, along with teams from four other Scottish pits.

The men who died were Alexander Henderson, Henry Morrison, Johnston Smith, James Tait, Andrew Thomson, Philip Thomson, Hugh Gallagher, James McKay and Andrew Taylor.

To contain the blaze, the pit had to be sealed, becoming a permanent tomb for Andrew Taylor, James McKay and Hugh Gallagher.

Mr Taylor had been safe, but went back to try to rescue Mr Gallagher. He was later awarded the Edward Medal, a posthumous award for bravery.

Two other men were recognised for their bravery that day—colliery rescue team leader William Shaw, who received a Queen’s Commendation, and David Hunter who received the George Medal.

The pit was closed following the disaster, bringing to an end 75 years of mining in the area.

Almost half the miners were paid off, with the rest retiring or being transferred.

A public inquiry found the fire had been caused by the spontaneous heating of coal in the roof of a section of the roadway known as the “loader mine.”

It had been treated with polyurethane foam as a precaution against fire, but had actually acted as an insulator—which meant the blaze was not noticed until it was too late.

The polyurethane caused the toxic smoke that killed the men.

After the inquiry, it was decided that polyurethane foam should never again be used at any coal mine.

It was also found that those who died would have survived had they been provided with their own self rescuers—a portable oxygen kit costing only a few pounds. The following year, they were made compulsory for all people working underground in British coal mines.

Andrew Thomson’s daughter, Margaret McCue, was 21 when her father died. She said her family had been devastated by the disaster.

“He worked on constant night shift. When we got up in the mornings, Dad was always there sitting in his big chair,” she said.

“That morning he wasn’t there, so we knew something was wrong.”

Margaret got married the following February, and was given away by her Uncle Dave.

She said, “Everyone in the church gasped when we walked down the aisle—he looked so like my dad.”

Philip Thomson’s daughter Kathy King said, “When they went to tell my mother she fell apart—she wasn’t well enough to go to the funeral. They had just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary.

“My dad worked night shift for 39 years, and was due to retire six weeks before he died. He was the first one to be brought up and was only six feet away from an air shaft.

“It was the smoke that killed him.”

Methil Heritage Centre opens its doors from noon to 5pm on Sunday to mark the anniversary.

A special remembrance ceremony has also been organised by East Wemyss Community Council at the Michael memorial monument in the village from noon.

Fife Council will fly the flag at half mast at Fife House in Glenrothes, and the Town House, Kirkcaldy, all day on Sunday, and has asked as many people as possible to do likewise.

The heritage centre’s exhibition runs until October 27.