Explosion attributable to amassed fuel in six adjoining coal mines in central Cundinamarca division causes casualties and traps 10 employees under floor, authorities say.
(Reuters)
Rescuers and miners are racing towards the clock to avoid wasting 10 employees trapped in a central Colombian coal mine after an explosion killed a minimum of 11 individuals.
With oxygen quick working out for any survivors on Wednesday, relations outdoors the mine waited wrapped in woolen ponchos towards the chilly, determined for news of their family members.
Separated from the accident website by a barbed wire barricade, they watched as a machine pumped water out of a mine shaft.
President Gustavo Petro referred to as it “an unfortunate tragedy,” in a Twitter message.
“We are making every effort with the Cundinamarca regional government to rescue the trapped people alive,” he mentioned, providing “a hug of solidarity to the victims and their families.”
National mining company ANM mentioned two employees had been rescued from the mine at Sutatausa.
“We regret what happened and we stand in solidarity with the families of those affected,” ANM posted on Twitter.
A build-up of methane fuel apparently triggered the Tuesday evening explosion within the underground complicated, Sutatausa municipality’s mayor Jaime Arevalo advised the AFP news company.
He confirmed the loss of life toll and mentioned reduction companies are working to find the lacking miners, who’re believed to be trapped some 900 metres [2,950 feet] underground.
“When the explosion occurred, all the pumping, drainage and lighting systems collapsed,” the mayor added.
He described the rescue effort as “very complex,” saying oxygen was working out and water was “beginning to accumulate.”
Governor Nicolas Garcia of Cundinamarca division mentioned the amassed gases within the mine have been ignited by a spark from a employee’s instrument.
He advised Blu Radio greater than 100 rescuers have been concerned within the search, including: “Every minute that passes means less oxygen” for these lacking.
(Reuters)
‘Thank God’
Survivor Joselito Rodriguez, 33, advised AFP by phone that he felt a “tremor” whereas working after which, “I felt I was suffocating, and could not see anything.”
“Thank God we got out safely, but others are dead,” he mentioned shortly after leaving the hospital the place he obtained remedy.
Workers from different mines additionally rushed to the scene with their yellow arduous hats and flashlights to hitch rescue efforts led by firefighters and rescue groups.
The explosion occurred at a authorized coal mine linked underground to 5 others.
Oil and coal are the primary exports of Colombia, the place mining accidents are frequent, particularly at unlawful digs in Cundinamarca and different departments within the nation’s middle and northeast.
Colombia registered greater than 1,260 mining accidents from 2011 to May 2022, for a mean annual toll of 103 deaths, in keeping with official information.
At least 130,000 individuals make a authorized residing from mining in Colombia.
But unions constantly denounce poor working circumstances, with an absence of protecting gear and lengthy working hours.
(AFP)
In August, 9 miners have been rescued from a collapsed unlawful coal mine in the identical division.
And final June, 15 individuals died at a mine close to the border with Venezuela, additionally attributable to an explosion of amassed gasses.
According to the ministry of mines and vitality, in 2020 Colombia had 53 % of confirmed coal reserves in Latin America and 0.6 % of worldwide reserves.
Petro, who grew to become president in August, has referred to coal as “poison” and vowed to switch mining jobs to the agriculture, clear vitality and tourism sectors.
Illegal mining, together with drug trafficking, can also be a significant supply of revenue for Colombia’s armed teams which have waged a virtually six-decade battle amongst one another and towards safety forces.
Source: AFP
Source: www.trtworld.com
