An explosion at South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Chirmiri open cast mine in Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur (MCB) district has left three workers injured. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon as a team prepared for a routine blasting operation. Preliminary reports suggest that a group of seven to eight workers, including two women, were laying explosives on the coal bed when the blast took place unexpectedly.
Rock fragments from the premature explosion struck workers and nearby vehicles. The injured were promptly transported to SECL’s regional hospital in Kurasia, Chirmiri. According to an SECL official, all three sustained minor injuries and are reportedly stable and out of danger, with expected early discharge.
While a technical fault is suspected as the primary cause, an internal investigation is now underway to ascertain the exact reasons behind the blast. Officials are examining potential equipment malfunctions, procedural oversights, or human error. The affected site has been secured, and operations are temporarily suspended pending safety evaluations. Authorities are reviewing safety protocols to prevent future incidents in this mining region, located approximately 300 kilometers from the state capital, Raipur.
