An explosion rocked an open cast coal mine in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district on Monday, leaving three workers injured. The incident occurred at the South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) Chirmiri mine between 2 pm and 3 pm as a team of seven to eight workers, including two women, prepared for a routine blasting operation. While laying explosives on the coal bed before detonation, a sudden blast took place. Rock fragments from the explosion struck workers and vehicles in the vicinity. All three injured individuals sustained minor wounds and were promptly transported to the SECL regional hospital at Kurasia. They are reported to be stable and out of danger, with expected discharge soon. SECL officials suggest a technical fault may have caused the premature explosion, but a thorough investigation is underway to pinpoint the exact cause, examining potential equipment malfunctions, procedural errors, or human oversight. Operations at the affected mine have been temporarily suspended pending safety assessments. This incident highlights ongoing safety concerns in mining operations.
