A methane blast ripped through a coal mine in eastern Ukraine on
November 18, killing at least 63 miners in the ex- Soviet nation’s worst
mining accident in years, the Associated Press reported. More than 360 miners
were rescued but 37 others remained trapped inside the mine—one of Ukraine’s
largest and deepest—with a raging fire hampering efforts to save them. The
explosion occurred around 3 a.m. more than 3,300 feet deep inside the Zasyadko
mine in the regional capital Donetsk. Authorities evacuated 367 miners and 28
were hospitalized. The accident, the worst in Ukraine in seven years, highlighted
the lack of attention to safety in a country with some of the world’s most
dangerous mines. According to experts, Ukraine’s mines are dangerous largely
because they are so deep, typically running more than 3,200 ft underground. In
comparison, most U.S. coal beds lie at depth of 600 to 1,200 ft. More than 75%
of Ukraine’s some 200 coal mines are classified as dangerous due to high
methane concentrations. Mines must be ventilated to prevent explosions, but some
rely on outdated ventilation equipment. Safety violations and negligence add to
the problem.
Last year, a blast at the mine killed
13 workers. In 2002, an explosion killed
20 and 54 died in a similar explosion in
2001. In May 1999, 50 miners were
killed in a methane and coal dust blast
there. Since the 1991 Soviet collapse,
more than 4,700 miners in Ukraine have
been killed. For every 1 million mt of coal
brought to the surface in Ukraine, three
miners lose their lives, according to official
data. Despite the dangers, there is
growing appetite for Ukraine’s rich coal
reserves, particularly amid rising natural
gas prices. The government has called for
production to be increased by a third to
80 million tons this year.
As featured in Womp 07 Vol 9 - www.womp-int.com
