Rescue and relief work after a lift collapsed at Kolihan mine, in Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan.
Credit: PTI Photo
A senior officer died in the lift collapse at a Kolihan copper mine in Rajasthan’s Neem Ka Thana district yesterday even as the disaster rescue team pulled out all 15 people, who got trapped inside the lift.
The unfortunate incident took place at Hindustan Copper Limited’s Kolihan copper mines on Tuesday around 8 pm when the chain connected to the lift broke and it plunged 1875 feet inside the mine. The lift was carrying vigilance officials from Kolkata and mine officials and was in the process of returning when the chain snapped.
As per a report in The Indian Express, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) brought the injured people up till the sea level with the help of a trolley, after which improvised stretchers, ropes and a pulley were used to help them come out of the base.
“There are a set of stairs through which we were able to get to them. But they were so steep that it wasn’t possible to carry the injured people upstairs. So, some of us went downstairs one by one," a mine worker told the publication.
He told IE that they attached ropes on all the sides of the stretcher and then tied the injured people to it before they were pulled out.
Reportedly, over a hundred people were involved in the rescue operation.
“Rescue teams worked through the night. Most of the injured people have been taken to a private hospital in Jaipur," Prakash Nayak, the SP of Neem Ka Thana district where the mine is located told the publication.
Meanwhile, several other mineworkers that The Indian Express spoke to shed light at the negligence of the officials who had the responsibility of maintaining the mining equipment.
Allegedly, a similar incident happened earlier this week, however, no one was hurt.
“We have received information that on Monday the lift collapsed at 20 feet but no one was hurt in that incident. If the administration knew about such an incident, they should have acted and stopped the work. Most of the equipment in the mines need upgrading. We have relatives, family members and friends who still work in the mines and go inside every day," District chief of Hind Mazdoor Sabha Ravindra Kumar told.
(With DHNS inputs)