DANGER KNOWN
Aberfan Disaster
(N.Z.P. A. -Reuter—Copyripht» MERTHYR TYDFIL, Dec. 1
A local council knew more than 20 years ago that there was a danger of a slip at the Aberfan coal tips, the official inquiry was told in Merthyr Tydfil yesterday, when the inquiry was begun.
A total of 144 people, mostly children, lost their lives when part of the tip broke away and thundered down on the Welsh mining village on October 21. The Attorney-General, Sir Elwyn Jones, in his opening address to the inquiry, said the Merthyr Tydfil Council first heard of the danger in 1943.
On December 20 of that year its education committee passed a resolution headed “Aberfan Tipping.” It was resolved to have the borough engineer report on the question and to have the town clerk seek the mine management’s opinion. “It is not known what caused that resolution,” Sir Elwyn Jones said, "but it is clear that the danger of slipping was in the minds of the council as long ago as 20 years.” The inquiry will be continued today.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31232, 2 December 1966, Page 13
Word Count
177DANGER KNOWN Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31232, 2 December 1966, Page 13
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