Tragedy struck Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district on Monday when an explosion injured three mine workers, two of whom are women. The incident happened at South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Chirmiri open cast coal mine during preparations for a routine blasting session. A team of workers was reportedly laying explosives when the blast occurred unexpectedly. The force of the explosion caused debris to scatter, striking the workers and nearby equipment. All three injured individuals were promptly transported to the SECL regional hospital in Kurasia for treatment and are reported to be out of danger and expected to recover fully. Authorities are investigating the cause, with a technical error being the suspected reason for the premature blast. Safety protocols are being reviewed to prevent future incidents.
