The Hindu Business Line : 6 feared dead in Eastern Coalfields mine

A total of six miners are feared dead following a massive roof collapse at Eastern Coalfields Ltd's (ECL) Shyamsundarpur underground (UG) mine. The accident occurred early morning on Tuesday. Confirming the incident, the Director (Technical) of Coal India Ltd (CIL), Mr Lakshman Jha, told Business Line over the telephone from the accident site that efforts were being made to bring out the bodies trapped inside the mine. But no one could be rescued till 7 p.m.

Mr Jha said that altogether 13 miners were working on the night shift of this medium-sized UG mine. The roof of the mine suddenly cave in around 5.30 a.m. trapping all the miners. Fortunately, seven miners with injuries could come out leaving the remaining six trapped persons.

He said that although this sort accident could happen in an old mine the exact reason for the accident could only be ascertained by the Inquiry Committee which has been formed by the Directorate General of Mine Safety (DGMS). The Chairman of ECL, Mr Deepak Chakravarty, and all directors and senior executives of ECL and executives of DGMS are camping at the spot to supervise the rescue operations.

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