Tragedy struck Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district on Monday when an explosion rocked the SECL’s Chirmiri open cast coal mine, injuring three workers, including two women. The blast occurred in the early afternoon as workers were getting ready for a scheduled blasting activity. While laying explosives on the coal seam, an unintended detonation happened.
The force of the explosion sent rock debris flying, which consequently injured the workers and damaged some vehicles on site. The injured were immediately transported to the Kurasia regional hospital operated by SECL. Medical staff have stated that the injuries sustained are minor, and the workers are in stable condition, with a swift recovery anticipated.
Authorities suspect that a technical fault may have triggered the premature explosion. An investigation is currently in progress to ascertain the exact circumstances. The company’s safety department and local administration are collaborating to conduct a comprehensive review of the incident and reinforce safety protocols to avert similar accidents in the future. Operations at the affected mine have been temporarily suspended.