Coal extraction suspended for week
Coal extraction from Barapukuria underground coal mine has been suspended for next one week due to its Tuesday's roof collapse nearly 1,250 feet below ground that left one miner dead and 19 others injured.
But other activities of the Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd (BCMCL) resumed yesterday, sources said.
BCMCL authorities and Chinese operator of the mine CMC-XMC Consortium have decided to pay Tk 4.20 lakh to the family of deceased Ranjit Saha as compensation. The consortium yesterday paid Tk 20,000 to the family for his cremation.
Meanwhile, Petrobangla Chairman Hossain Mansur urged the CMC-XMC Consortium to ensure safety for both the Bangladeshi and Chinese miners.
While holding separate meetings with BCMCL, miners and the consortium, Mansur also said, “surely there had been faults in mining operation that led to the roof collapse.” He asked the consortium to investigate into the matter.
He termed “courageous efforts” the rescue of 19 miners by their Bangladeshi colleagues.
The miners demanded compensation for the injured miners.
The Petrobangla chairman visited the injured miners at Rangpur Medical College Hospital and BCMCL hospital. He also visited the deceased's house.
About 32 miners were working during the collapse. Miner Rabiul Islam told The Daily Star that they became alert after hearing screams of some miners who had narrowly escaped the disaster. The information had been passed to the surface through PSTN phone, he said.
Masud Rana, a miner of BCMCL, said 20-30 miners including him rushed to the spot with shovels and pickaxes to rescue the trapped miners.
“As the roof collapsed the entire area plunged into darkness but we found out each other by calling aloud,” said Jahangir at BCMCL Hospital who was rescued after six hours of the incident.
It is an example of courage. The Bangladeshi miners rescued their 19 fellows alive from underground mine putting their life in danger, said an official of BCMCL.
CORRECTION
Our yesterday's story headlined “Coalmine cave-in kills 1” inadvertently mentioned “a roof of Barapukuria underground coal mine collapsed on miners nearly 2,000 feet below ground.” Actually it happened at 1,250 feet below ground. We regret the mistake.
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