A blast at the Chirmiri 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 on Monday afternoon as a team was preparing for a routine blasting operation. Explosives were being laid on the coal bed when a premature detonation took place. Flying rock fragments from the blast struck workers and nearby vehicles.
The injured were promptly transported to SECL’s regional hospital at Kurasia. According to SECL officials, all three workers sustained minor injuries and are reported to be stable and out of danger, with expected discharges soon. The explosion happened between 2 pm and 3 pm while a group of seven to eight workers was involved in the preparation.
A technical fault is suspected as the primary cause of the early explosion, though an internal investigation is underway. The probe will examine potential equipment malfunctions, procedural errors, or human mistakes. The mine site has been secured, and operations have been temporarily suspended pending safety assessments. Authorities are reviewing safety protocols to prevent future incidents.
