An explosion at South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Chirmiri open cast mine in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district has resulted in injuries to three workers. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon as a team of workers prepared for a routine blasting operation. According to officials, the blast happened unexpectedly while a team of seven to eight workers, including two women, were laying explosives on the coal bed. Rock fragments from the sudden detonation struck the workers and nearby vehicles. The injured were promptly transported to SECL’s regional hospital at Kurasia, where they are reported to be in stable condition and receiving treatment. Authorities suspect a technical fault may have caused the premature explosion, and an internal investigation is underway to ascertain the precise cause, examining potential equipment malfunction, procedural errors, or human oversight. Operations at the mine have been temporarily suspended pending safety evaluations.
