Tragedy struck at South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Chirmiri open cast mine in Chhattisgarh on Monday when an unexpected explosion injured three workers. Two of the injured are women. The incident happened around 2 to 3 pm as a team of seven to eight workers was engaged in setting explosives for a planned detonation. The blast occurred suddenly before the detonation sequence was completed, sending debris flying. The injured were quickly taken to the SECL hospital in Kurasia, where their condition is described as stable and non-life-threatening. Medical staff anticipate their release shortly. Authorities are conducting a thorough probe into the explosion’s origin. While preliminary assessments suggest a possible technical error, the investigation will also examine potential procedural lapses or human error. The mine site has been secured, and operations are on hold while safety checks are performed. This incident highlights ongoing safety concerns in mining operations in the region.
