Coal miner missing, many injured, after methane explosion

Emergency services at the KWK Myslowice-Wesola coal mine. Photo: PAP/Marek Zimny

The first explosion at the Myslowice-Wesola coal mine occurred just before 9pm on Monday night.

The injured men were taken to various hospitals across the region, including 18 in a critical condition to the CLO hospital in Siemianowice Slaskie.

A spokesman said that the injured men have most suffered burns to their respiratory tracts, and seven of the men have had to be attached to ventilators.

Miners taking part in the rescue bid at the KWK Myslowice-Wesola coal mine. Photo: PAP/Marek Zimny

Meanwhile, rescue efforts for the missing man were hampered by smoke this morning, and before 9 am the bid was suspended, as fears grew of another explosion.

Six separate rescue teams, with a combined force of 30 men, have been involved in the search for the missing man.

“We know roughly where the employee is located,” confirmed chief engineer at the mine Grzegorz Standziak.

“We know from conversations with miners who came up from that area,” he added.

Between 1990 and 2013, Polish coal mine have witnessed 42 methane fires or explosions. As a result of these incidents, 88 miners died, and 117 were gravely injured. The worst single methane-related disaster occurred in November 2006 at the Halemba coal mine in Ruda Slaska, when 26 workers were killed. (nh/pg)

Source: IAR/PAP