PEDDAPALLI: In a gruesome incident, as many as four Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) workers were killed and two coal workers were injured on Tuesday, while undertaking blasting operations at the SCCL open cast mine in Godavarikhani, under Ramagundam region -3 area of OCP-1. This is one of the biggest accidents in an open cast mine, as usually such major accidents occurred in underground mines.
The injured persons were shifted to area hospital in Godavarikhani. The death toll is expected to increase further. The SCCL Rescue team recovered bodies of the dead SCCL workers who were killed in the accident. As per preliminary information, the incident occurred while undertaking blasting operations to excavate coal. Fire engulfed the mine after the blasting operation.
Chaos, fear and panic prevailed in the mining area. The SCCL workers union leaders are alleging that the concerned authorities failed to take precautionary measures and employed non-experienced persons to oversee the blasting site. They demanded justice for families of the deceased and ex gratia.
Concerned SCCL and other government officials rushed to the spot of the accident to inspect the site and know about the cause of accident. With this incident coal excavation in the mine has come to a standstill.