An explosion at South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Chirmiri open cast mine in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district has injured three mine workers, two of whom are women. The incident took place on Monday afternoon during the preparation phase for a planned blasting operation. A team was reportedly laying explosives when the blast occurred unexpectedly.
Initial reports indicate that fragments from the sudden explosion struck the workers and vehicles in the vicinity. The affected individuals were quickly taken to the SECL regional hospital in Kurasia, Chirmiri. Hospital sources confirm that the injuries are minor, and all three are stable and expected to recover fully soon.
Officials are investigating the precise cause of the premature detonation, with preliminary assessments pointing towards a possible technical issue. A thorough internal inquiry has been initiated to determine if faulty equipment, procedural oversights, or human error contributed to the accident. Safety measures are being reviewed, and operations at the mine have been temporarily halted.