Tragedy struck the Chirmiri open-cast coal mine in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district on Monday, when an unexpected explosion injured three workers, two of whom are women. The incident took place during preparations for a scheduled blasting operation, involving a team of seven to eight workers who were setting explosives. The blast occurred suddenly as the team was moving away from the detonation site.
Debris from the explosion impacted the workers and equipment in the vicinity. The injured were quickly taken to the SECL regional hospital at Kurasia for immediate medical attention. They are currently out of danger and are being treated for minor injuries, with expectations of a swift recovery and discharge.
Authorities suspect a technical issue may have led to the premature blast. South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) has initiated a thorough investigation to uncover the definitive cause, which could involve faulty machinery, deviations from safety procedures, or human oversight. Safety measures are under review, and operations at the mine have been temporarily halted to ensure a comprehensive safety evaluation.