Stephen Galsworthy died in the blast

The families of the injured have used the local newspaper - The South Wales Evening Post - to pay tribute to the 30 men who were members of the rescue team, who led the fire service in their search for survivors.

The account describes how two men entered the building which houses blast furnace number 5.

It describes how 27-year-old Richard Pugh, from Baglan, and 25-year-old Gareth Edwards from Margam " acted in a selfless way when they risked their own lives to save others".

"These 30 men, but especially the two who entered the blast furnace area, are owed a great debt by the families here, whatever the next few days, weeks and months may bring," says the letter.

The letter goes on to ask that the men should be given a bravery award for what they did.

Five men remain on life-support machines at Swansea's Morriston Hospital burns unit following the explosion.

Len Radford: Died following blast

And four others are recovering in general hospital wards.

The funerals for the three men who died after the Port Talbot steel works explosion will be held next week.

Stephen Galsworthy, who was 25, will be buried in Margam on Tuesday after a service at St Joseph's Church in Port Talbot.

Later that day, there will be a service for his colleague 53-year-old Len Radford at Margam Crematorium.

On Wednesday, 20-year-old Andrew Hutin will be buried at Margam following a service at Ebenezer Welsh Baptist Church.

Relatives have asked for donations to be made the burns unit at Swansea's Morriston Hospital.

A book of condolences was opened at St Theodore's Church earlier in the week.

Steelworker and local councillor Tony Taylor said it was important "lessons were learned" from the tragedy.

"The mood at the plant is still despondent. I talked to the shift working that night and they were very down," he said.

The Health and Safety Executive, which is carrying out an inquiry jointly with South Wales Police, has said it could be three weeks before investigators are able to access the site.

Andrew Hutin: Body found by rescuers

While the rest of the Corus plant has reopened, hazardous conditions and continuing high temperatures are hampering the probe.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, the prime minister offered his sympathies to the victims' families, describing the blast as a "terrible tragedy."

In Cardiff Bay, Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan denied to the economic development committee there had been leakages of molten metal from the number five furnace since 1994.

Mr Morgan has recently leapt to the defence of Corus, which has claimed the furnace was safe despite contrary claims made by workers to local AM Janet Davies.

The company, which is conducting its own investigation into the incident, maintains the facility was undergoing regular maintenance at the time of the blast.