Tragedy struck Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district on Monday when an explosion injured three mine workers, two of whom are women. The blast occurred at South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Chirmiri open cast coal mine while a team was setting up explosives for a scheduled blasting operation. Sources indicate that a group of seven to eight workers was on the coal bed, laying charges, when the explosion happened unexpectedly.
The premature blast sent debris flying, injuring the workers and damaging equipment. The injured were rushed to the SECL hospital in Kurasia and are currently stable, with doctors anticipating their quick recovery. Company officials believe a technical issue might be the root cause, but a comprehensive investigation is underway. This investigation will explore all potential factors, including faulty machinery, deviations from safety procedures, or mistakes made by personnel. Safety measures are being reviewed, and operations at the affected mine have been paused to ensure a thorough safety evaluation.