Two workers died and seven others were injured after a portion of the roof collapsed inside an underground coal mine operated by Southeastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district, police said.
Khem Singh Bindru, Dhanbury police station officer, said the accident occurred around 3.30 am at Panjwar underground coal mine in SECL’s Sohagpur area when the workers were working on constructing a stop wall.
The deceased were identified as Palo Cole and Jolo Baiga. The matter has been handed over to the Directorate General of Mine Safety for investigation, an official said.
Dhanpura Police Station official Kim Sing said the accident occurred near Shaft No. 45, about two kilometers inside the mine entrance.
“The accident occurred on Friday afternoon during the construction of a stop wall in the second shift. A portion of the roof, which consisted of weak soil and rocks, suddenly collapsed, trapping the workers under the rubble. A safety barrier is being constructed in the underground coal mine to control ventilation, prevent the spread of dangerous gases, and seal off abandoned or commissioned sections,” Singh said.
Rescue teams entered the mine and extracted the injured workers. They were taken to Central Hospital in Podar, Shahdol.
The Jabalpur team of the Directorate General of Mine Safety (DGMS) will investigate the incident, officials said. The team is scheduled to visit the site on Saturday to conduct an inspection to find out the causes of the accident.
