Birbhum coal mine blast kills 7

At least seven miners were killed and seven others injured in a severe blast at a coal mine, owned by a private entity, at Khayrasole in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Monday afternoon, officials said.

The local administration suspects that more miners are likely to be trapped within the mines after landslides due to the blast.

Eyewitnesses said that the bodies of some of the killed were blown into pieces in the blast, according to reports from India Today and Free Press Journal.

In Birbhum, Khoyrasol, a blast at the Gangaramchak coal mine has resulted in the deaths of 7 workers. Initially, 5 bodies were recovered from inside the mine, followed by reports of two additional fatalities. There are concerns that other individuals may be trapped.

According to officials, the blast occurred while detonators were being transported for scheduled explosions at the Gangaramchak and Gangaramchak-Bhadulia coal mines. A senior official from the West Bengal Power Development Corporation Limited (WBPDCL) confirmed that the mine’s operations were being handled by a mine developer and operator (MDO) contracted for the site.

PB Salim, Chairman and Managing Director of WBPDCL, addressed the media, saying, “The workers who lost their lives were employed by the agency tasked with mining operations. An investigation is now underway to determine the exact cause of the blast. Our priority remains providing aid to the affected workers and ensuring the safety of the site."

The WBPDCL, a company owned by the West Bengal government, operates five power plants with a combined installed capacity of 4,265 MW. With an additional 660 MW of thermal capacity expected to be added this fiscal year, the company continues to play a pivotal role in the state's energy infrastructure. This incident, however, has cast a somber shadow over operations, prompting calls for stricter safety protocols at industrial sites.

Authorities have launched a detailed probe into the incident, aiming to identify lapses in safety measures and prevent further tragedies at the site. The coal mine blast has reignited discussions around industrial safety standards, highlighting the risks faced by workers in hazardous environments.