40 bodies recovered, search on to find more bodies

Dhanbad, Sep 8 (UNI) Forty of the 50 bodies of trapped miners inside the Bhat-Dih mine of Nagda Colliery of BCCL, were pulled out today while the rescue team is scouring for the remaining ten vicitms in the pit.

All the 50 miners trapped in the colliery were dead due to the emission of toxic gas (carbon monoxide) triggered by a huge explosion inside the pit on September six night.

Sources in the Control room of the Bharat Coke and Ccoal Ltd told UNI that 22 bodies were sent for post mortem, which would be later handed over to the respective families.

The bodies were strewn all over the colliery due to the explosion in the pit, sources said, adding efforts were on to retreieve the remaining trapped miners.

Till last afternoon, the rescue team had a tough time in accessing the exact location of the accident as they had to fight emission of carbon monoxide.

Last night the bodies could be located and subesequently the process of pulling them out began, they said.

Union Coal Minister Shibu Soren, who rushed to the spot yesterday, announced Rs three lakh compensation to the families of the deceased besides job assurance to a member from each of the families.

Mr Soren said a judicial inquiry would be conducted to find the reason leading to the disaster.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda, after attending a programme on centenary celebration of Vande Mataram in the state capital yesterday, said the government would bear the expenses of treatment and announced Rs one lakh to the next kin of the deceased.

On September six, altogether 57 miners went to work in the pit.

Out of 57, one miner came out without informing the authorities. Of the remaining 56, three sustained injuries while on duty which forced them to leave the place.

When the accident occurred, 53 miners were still inside the pit while three managed to come out of the pit with burn injuries. They were rushed to the hospital.

UNI PRS JYN SAM DB1307