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Port Talbot Steel Works Tragedy

This Remembrance day the team for the first time ever took part in the march though town to the war memorial in Port Talbot. It was some thing we had planned to do months before hand,what we didn't expect was that it was to be just after one of the most tragic events in the history of the town.

On the previous Thursday at 5:19 November 8th just 3 days short of it being 2 months since the horrible events in the USA. The town was rocked to its core by its own loss,the number 5 Blast Furnace at the steel works explored as molten metal escaped.

Fire Crews ,works rescue teams, police and ambulances crews rushed to the scene the smoke could be seen rising from the works and the town held its breath waiting for news of any casualties word soon got out of at least 18 men had been injured and taken to Morriston hospital in Swansea. For a big town at times like this it soon becomes very small as every one knows some one who works there,some of our own team ether work there or have relations who do.One of our lads is on the works rescue team

Later that evening local news reported that one person had been killed and one was missing.Rescue teams worked though out the night and all operations at the hospital was cancelled as staff worked to save the injured. The names where released of the men who had sadly not made it Stephen Galsworthy aged just 25 and Andrew Hutin aged 20 with Len Radford aged 55 passing away a few days later.

Andrew I knew personally as my oldest son had played rugby with him for many years,and this was a shock to our family we knew Andrew as a really nice lad who had a good sense of humor with a wonderful family he was a fine rugby player.Words cant express what the family's are going though including the ones who still wait by the beds of loved ones still in hospital and nothing I can write here will ever express the loss the town feels all I can say is that the thoughts of the Team and our Families are with you all