Tragedy struck Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district when an explosion occurred at the Chirmiri open cast coal mine operated by South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL). The blast, which happened around 2:30 pm on Monday, injured three workers, two of whom are women. The workers were in the process of preparing for a scheduled blasting operation.
Sources indicate that a group of workers was placing explosives on the coal seam when the explosion took place unexpectedly. Debris from the blast impacted individuals and equipment in the vicinity. Fortunately, the injured have been admitted to the SECL regional hospital in Kurasia and are reported to be out of danger, receiving treatment for minor injuries.
SECL authorities suspect a technical error may have led to the premature detonation. An official investigation is now underway to pinpoint the precise cause, exploring all potential factors from equipment failure to procedural errors. Safety measures are being reassesssed, and operations at the mine have been temporarily halted. The incident site, situated about 300 km from Raipur, is being thoroughly examined by company officials and district authorities to enhance safety standards and avert similar accidents.