Though four are feared buried in the debris, the bodies are yet to be retrieved and not even visible since the rescue operation had started late in the evening due to bad road condition.
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Four persons were feared dead and nine others were injured when an earth dump caved in on a working site at Bharatpur coalmine on Tuesday night.
Bharatpur coal mine is one of eight coal mines operated by Mahanadi Coalfield Limited in Talcher. All the nine injured, who were rushed to MCL central hospital, are out of danger.
Though four are feared buried in the debris, the bodies are yet to be retrieved and not even visible since the rescue operation had started late in the evening due to bad road condition.
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The operation will last for two or three days to totally clear the debris, sources said.
Only one body is visible while others are not, say eyewitnesses.
It is not yet known as to how many miners were working at the site and how many died. The authorities estimate the casualty will not be more than four.
The accident occurred when an old earth dump collapsed on the ground where coal extraction work was going on at about 11 PM on Tuesday night by a private contractor with his men and machine.
Nine escaped while four were trapped, colliery source said.
Recounting the horror, the survivors said that they were pushed with their vehicle by the soil coming from above thus burying them.
Angul collector Manoj Kumar Mahanty, Northcentral range DIG Narasingh Bhol, MCL directors OP Singh and KR Basudevan, and officials of mines safety of central government visited the spot on Wednesday.
The Collector asked MCL authorities to expedite the rescue operation and conduct an enquiry into the incident.
Speaking to this correspondent, MCL director technical OP Singh said, “It is a shocking and unfortunate incident for the company which gives prior importance to safety. MCL will conduct an enquiry into the incident. We hope the death figure will not rise after the rescue operation is over. Already the mines safety department has started an enquiry into this incident.”
Both the directors are camping at Talcher till the operation is over. Meanwhile, tension is prevailing at the entire Talcher coalfield area over the incident.
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