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Aberfan Teacher Recounts Unforgettable Horror
23 Feb
Summary
- Survivor identifies children's bodies after Aberfan disaster.
- Teacher corrects myth about singing before the disaster.
- Aberfan disaster led to changes in industrial waste management.
Mair Morgan, the last surviving teacher from the Aberfan disaster, shares her enduring memories 60 years after the tragedy. On October 21, 1966, a colliery spoil tip collapsed, engulfing Pantglas Junior School and killing 116 children and 28 adults. Morgan, then 25, was teaching in a separate building and recalls the terrifying noise.
She describes the harrowing experience of being asked to identify the bodies of her young students in the school playground. Morgan also refutes the long-standing myth that children were singing All Things Bright and Beautiful, stating assembly was scheduled for later that day.
The Aberfan disaster prompted significant changes in the UK's industrial waste management practices. For those who lived through it, the approaching 60th anniversary is a somber occasion to ensure the lessons learned are not forgotten.
Morgan, who has rarely spoken publicly, remains rooted in the community, living near Aberfan. She emphasizes the importance of remembering the disaster and learning from its devastating consequences.
