43 miners in Dhanbad coal mine dead

Forty-three of the 50 miners trapped in a coal mine in Dhanbad have died due to inhalation of carbon monoxide following an explosion underground, and authorities virtually ruled out the survival of the remaining.

"Rescue teams have located 43 bodies from the Bhatdih mines of which 34 have been brought to the upper level," Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Bela Rajesh told PTI adding, efforts were on to trace the remaining bodies.

Coal Minister Shibu Soren, who visited the accident site, announced a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the families of the deceased workers and a job to their kin.

BCCL Chairman and Managing Director Partha S Bhattacharya had earlier said that the possibility of the survival of the miners was bleak. BCCL sources said it will be difficult for the miners to have survived the carbon monoxide gas after the explosion.

Twenty rescue teams from BCCL and other Coal India subsidiaries, Eastern Coalfields and Central Coalfields, were engaged in rescue operations and were drilling holes to let in fresh air into the mine, which collapsed on Wednesday, trapping the miners at Bhatdih mine.

Soren ordered a departmental inquiry into the accident and the probe committee headed by chairman and managing director Coal Mines Planning and Design Institute has been asked to submit its report within 15 days.

The committee will ascertain the causes of the incident, fix responsibility, if any, and make suggestions for avoiding any recurrence.

The minister said stern action will be taken against officials if found responsible for the incident.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday night expressed shock at the death of miners and assured support to the next of kin of the deceased.