An explosion at an open cast coal mine in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district has resulted in injuries to three workers, including two women. The incident occurred at the South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) Chirmiri open cast mine on Monday afternoon. Workers were in the process of preparing for a routine blasting operation when the unexpected blast took place. Seven to eight workers were reportedly laying explosives on the coal bed when the detonation happened prematurely. Flying rock fragments from the blast struck the workers and nearby vehicles. All injured individuals sustained minor injuries and were promptly taken to the SECL regional hospital in Kurasia. They are reported to be stable and are expected to be discharged soon. Authorities are investigating the cause, with initial indications suggesting a potential technical fault. An internal probe is underway to ascertain if equipment malfunction, procedural errors, or human oversight contributed to the incident. Operations at the mine have been temporarily suspended for safety assessments, and measures to prevent future accidents are being reviewed.
