Tragedy struck at SECL’s Chirmiri open cast coal mine in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district on Monday, when an explosion injured three workers. The group, which included two women, was preparing for a scheduled blasting operation when the incident occurred around 2-3 PM. As the blasting team was laying explosives, a sudden, premature detonation sent rock fragments flying. The injured were part of a seven to eight-person crew working on the coal bed. They were immediately transported to the SECL regional hospital in Kurasia for treatment. Medical reports confirm the injuries are minor and the affected workers are out of danger and expected to recover quickly. SECL officials are treating this as a serious incident and have initiated a thorough investigation. While a technical error is suspected as the primary cause, the probe will examine all possibilities, including equipment failure, procedural deviations, and human error. Safety protocols are being re-evaluated, and operations have been temporarily paused at the mine.
