MEZHDURECHENS - Fires in the Raspadskaya coalmine in the Kemerovo region that were detected by mine rescuers now have been totally extinguished, commander of the Novokuznetsk squad of the militarised mine rescue unit Alexander Apalkov told journalists on Sunday.
He specified that he had in mind the underground fires found before the methane accumulation place beyond which the rescuers were ordered not to go and come to the surface due to the possibility of another explosion. It is due to the high concentration of methane gas that the rescue operations had to be suspended. “We, naturally, cannot tell if there are fires beyond the methane accumulation place. At first we will remove methane and then will again check the mine tunnels,” Apalkov explained.
Water pumping was started into the mine from 10:00, local time (07:00 MSK) and simultaneously the special reagent khladon (freon) is supplied. According to the commander of the mine rescuers’ squad, this is done “for neutralisation of the methane cloud when it will be coming to the surface past possible seats of fire, in order to avoid another explosion.” These operations will continue for about a week, after which rescuers will again descend to the mine.
There was an accident in the Raspadskaya coalmine on the night to May 9 – two methane explosions that killed 66 people, 24 mine workers are still missing.
Meanwhile, governor of the Kemerovo region Aman Tuleyev said that the owners of the Raspadskaya coalmine must bear responsibility for the accident. “I put the blame for the tragedy fully on the owner,” he told reporters on Saturday. “It is outrageous that there is no reaction from the owners, the administration of the Raspadskaya coal mining company. They are silent, though they must not be afraid to meet with people,” he stressed.
A written undertaking not to leave has been taken from the mine management for the period of the investigation into the criminal case opened in connection with the deaths caused by the explosions in the mine on the night to May 9, an investigation source told Itar-Tass. The criminal case is opened on charges of “violation of the safety regulations in mining work that caused deaths of more than two people through carelessness.”
The two explosions killed 66 miners and rescuers. The fate of 24 people is unknown so far. The search operation is suspended due to the complicated situation in the mine, in which methane concentration is high and there are fire outbreaks.
Governor Tuleyev met on Saturday with a group representing the Raspadskaya miners’ interests. He agreed with the workers on their demands and ordered to settle their social problems. The workers told him about the wage situation and other issues related to social welfare. Tuleyev told reporters that he had known “much interesting about activities” of the company management. All the facts are being checked, he added. The governor said he had agreed on the miners’ all demands and ordered his deputies to settle the issues in a short period to time.
According to the governor, the relatives of the killed miners will get 1 million roubles from the owner of the enterprise in accordance with an agreement with the regional administration, as well as 12 salaries plus 3 miner's salaries for the past 3 months. Besides, the children of the killed miners will be annually holidaying in the best sanatoriums of the country free of charge. The owners will bear expenses for the education of children and improvement of housing conditions of the miners’ families. “Students will get a separate stipend until the age of 23,” he stressed. The people injured in the accident will be paid 30,000 to 200,000 roubles each depending on the severity of the injury, Tuleyev said.
Editor: Mark Freeman (mark.freeman@industry.nsw.gov.au)
Mr Freeman is one of our esteemed NOSHCON speakers. For more information on Mr Freeman and our other speakers, please visit our website at: http://www.noshcon.co.za/
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