3 Injured in SECL Mine Blast, Probe Launched

Tragedy struck Chhattisgarh’s Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district as an explosion injured three workers, including two women, at South Eastern Coalfields Limited’s (SECL) Chirmiri open cast coal mine. The incident took place Monday afternoon during preparations for a scheduled blasting operation. A team of seven to eight workers was reportedly engaged in placing explosives when the blast occurred prematurely. Flying debris from the explosion hit several workers and vehicles in the vicinity. The injured were rushed to the SECL regional hospital in Kurasia, Chirmiri, and are reported to be in stable condition with minor injuries. An investigation has been initiated to determine the root cause of the blast. Preliminary assessments point towards a potential technical issue, though a comprehensive internal probe will examine all possibilities, including equipment failure, procedural lapses, and human error. Mine operations have been temporarily halted as a safety evaluation is conducted, and authorities are reinforcing safety protocols to prevent recurrence.