8 killed in Jharkhand coal mine cave-in

Eight miners were killed and some are feared trapped in a cave-in at the Lalmatia opencast coal mine at Rajmahal area of Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) in Godda district of Jharkhand on Thursdayt night.

The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) has been pressed into service.

“So far, bodies of eight miners have been recovered from the mine. Rescue work is on,” R R Mishra, officiating CMD of ECL, a Coal India arm, told PTI on Friday.

There accident occurred at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday when excavators and tippers were working and rescue operations were launched immediately, Mr. Mishra said.

The Director General of Mines Safety and senior officials were there to supervise the rescue operation. Ten equipment — three excavators and seven tipper trucks — have been recovered and a high-level committee would inquire into the cause of the accident, he said.

Police said two injured were being treated in a hospital.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Raghubar Das over the phone and took stock of the situation.

The Prime Minister said the Jharkhand government and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal were “working to restore normality“.

“Saddened by the loss of lives at a mine in Jharkhand. My prayers are with those trapped inside. Spoke to CM Raghubar Das on the situation,” Modi said on twitter.

Saddened by the loss of lives at a mine in Jharkhand. My prayers are with those trapped inside. Spoke to CM Raghubar Das on the situation.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 30, 2016

The Chief Minister announced an assistance of Rs. 2 lakh for the families of the deceased miners and Rs 25,000 to the injured, official sources said.

“All senior officials have been asked to stay at the site,” the Chief Minister tweeted.