An explosion rocked South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Chirmiri open cast coal mine in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district on Monday. Three workers, including two women, sustained injuries during preparations for a routine blasting operation. The incident occurred between 2 pm and 3 pm as a team of seven to eight workers was laying explosives on the coal bed.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the blast happened suddenly while the blasting gang was moving to a safe location. Flying rock fragments reportedly struck workers and nearby vehicles. The injured were swiftly transported to SECL’s regional hospital in Kurasia, Chirmiri, where they are reported to be in stable condition with minor injuries and are expected to be discharged soon.
Preliminary assessments point towards a potential technical fault as the cause of the premature explosion. However, SECL has initiated a comprehensive internal investigation to ascertain the exact reason, examining possibilities of equipment malfunction, procedural errors, or human oversight. The mine site has been secured, and operations are temporarily suspended pending safety evaluations. The company’s safety department and district administration are collaborating to review safety protocols and prevent future incidents in the region, located approximately 300 kilometers from the state capital, Raipur.
