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Scores trapped after India blast | Scores trapped after India blast |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Authorities in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand have summoned rescuers to search for more than 50 miners trapped inside a coal mine. | Authorities in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand have summoned rescuers to search for more than 50 miners trapped inside a coal mine. |
They were trapped after an explosion in a mine run by the state-owned Bharat Coking Coal Limited in Bhatdith. | They were trapped after an explosion in a mine run by the state-owned Bharat Coking Coal Limited in Bhatdith. |
Officials of the coal company say that the chances of survival of the trapped miners were thin. | Officials of the coal company say that the chances of survival of the trapped miners were thin. |
Jharkhand, which has India's largest coal deposits, has suffered a number of mining accidents in recent years. | Jharkhand, which has India's largest coal deposits, has suffered a number of mining accidents in recent years. |
The BBC's Salman Ravi in Bhatdith says only five miners who were working at the upper levels of the 460-metre (1500ft) deep mine had come out after an explosion rocked the mine on Wednesday evening. | The BBC's Salman Ravi in Bhatdith says only five miners who were working at the upper levels of the 460-metre (1500ft) deep mine had come out after an explosion rocked the mine on Wednesday evening. |
This is an unprecedented situation and the chances of their survival are zero Partha Bhattacharya Bharat Coking Coal Limited | |
Officials said the cause of the explosion is unclear. | Officials said the cause of the explosion is unclear. |
Rescue work has been badly affected because the high levels of carbon monoxide and methane gas in the mine. | Rescue work has been badly affected because the high levels of carbon monoxide and methane gas in the mine. |
"This is an unprecedented situation and the chances of their survival are zero," Bharat Coking Coal Limited chairman Partha Bhattacharya told Reuters news agency. | "This is an unprecedented situation and the chances of their survival are zero," Bharat Coking Coal Limited chairman Partha Bhattacharya told Reuters news agency. |
Mine disasters are not uncommon in mineral-rich Jharkhand state, home to a host of old, state-owned coal mines. | Mine disasters are not uncommon in mineral-rich Jharkhand state, home to a host of old, state-owned coal mines. |
Mine workers have died after mines have collapsed due to flooding in the past. | Mine workers have died after mines have collapsed due to flooding in the past. |
Accidents also happen when villagers enter abandoned mines to pick up coal - in August, between 30 and 40 people were trapped inside a mine after water from the nearby Damodar river flooded it. | Accidents also happen when villagers enter abandoned mines to pick up coal - in August, between 30 and 40 people were trapped inside a mine after water from the nearby Damodar river flooded it. |
There have been other accidents when the mines have simply caved in. | There have been other accidents when the mines have simply caved in. |
The state's worst mine collapse occurred in 1975, when nearly 400 miners were killed. | The state's worst mine collapse occurred in 1975, when nearly 400 miners were killed. |