A magnitude 2.66 seismic event at a depth of 870 meters rocked the Mysłowice-Wesoła coal mine in southern Poland, resulting in the deaths of two miners, Rajmund Horst, Vice President of the Polish Mining Group, reported.
The quake occurred overnight and was strong enough to disrupt operations and trap miners underground.
During a press conference, Horst detailed the rescue operation, which aimed to reach four miners who had lost contact with the surface team. Rescuers managed to reach and transport three miners to the surface; however, two were pronounced dead upon examination.
The third rescued miner, conscious but in pain, complained of shoulder and back injuries and was immediately taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Sosnowiec.
Efforts to locate and rescue the fourth miner, still trapped and out of contact, are ongoing.
Horst said the rescuers’ proximity to the trapped miner, indicated they were only a few meters from reaching him near the mining front.
He added that the challenging conditions under which the rescue team is operating, include methane risks and potential cave-ins. Despite these dangers, he also said that the site is relatively stable and safe for the ongoing operation.
Series of fatal accidents
This tragic event marks the second fatal accident at the Mysłowice-Wesoła mine in 2024, following an earlier incident in April that resulted in one fatality and eight miners injured.
According to data from the State Mining Authority (WUG), 2022 witnessed the highest number of fatalities from mining accidents over the past five years, with 37 miners tragically losing their lives across 23 different incidents.
WUG data also show that, as a result of various accidents, 15 miners perished in 2023, 13 in 2021, 16 in 2020, and 23 in 2019.
The most devastating mining disaster in Polish history took place on March 21, 1954, at the Barbara - Wyzwolenie mine in Chorzów, southern Poland, where a fire claimed the lives of 80 miners.
During a press conference, Horst detailed the rescue operation, which aimed to reach four miners who had lost contact with the surface team. Rescuers managed to reach and transport three miners to the surface; however, two were pronounced dead upon examination.
The third rescued miner, conscious but in pain, complained of shoulder and back injuries and was immediately taken to a hospital in the nearby city of Sosnowiec.
Efforts to locate and rescue the fourth miner, still trapped and out of contact, are ongoing.
Horst said the rescuers’ proximity to the trapped miner, indicated they were only a few meters from reaching him near the mining front.
He added that the challenging conditions under which the rescue team is operating, include methane risks and potential cave-ins. Despite these dangers, he also said that the site is relatively stable and safe for the ongoing operation.
Series of fatal accidents
This tragic event marks the second fatal accident at the Mysłowice-Wesoła mine in 2024, following an earlier incident in April that resulted in one fatality and eight miners injured.
According to data from the State Mining Authority (WUG), 2022 witnessed the highest number of fatalities from mining accidents over the past five years, with 37 miners tragically losing their lives across 23 different incidents.
WUG data also show that, as a result of various accidents, 15 miners perished in 2023, 13 in 2021, 16 in 2020, and 23 in 2019.
The most devastating mining disaster in Polish history took place on March 21, 1954, at the Barbara - Wyzwolenie mine in Chorzów, southern Poland, where a fire claimed the lives of 80 miners.
Source: PAP, wug.gov.pl, dzieje.pl
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