The rescue operation in the Pniówek coal mine has been started 32 hours ago. The rescuers still do everything possible to find the 7 missing miners. More than 20 people are in hospitals with severe burns.
See the previous run of events on [UPDATE] THE JSW GROUP INFORMS – 2 METHANE EXPLOSIONS IN THE PNIÓWEK COAL MINE PAWŁOWICE
At the moment, the rescue operation has been ongoing in very difficult conditions for many hours. In the area of the operation, the permissible gas concentrations are still exceeded which makes the rescue operation as difficult as possible.
(1/3) Akcja ratownicza w kopalni Pniówek trwa już 32 godziny. Ratownikom w dalszym ciągu nie udało się odnaleźć siedmiu zaginionych górników. Akcja prowadzona jest w bardzo trudnych warunkach. W dalszym ciągu przekroczone są dopuszczalne stężenia gazów.
— JSW S.A. (@jsw_sa) April 21, 2022
Throughout the night, 13 teams of rescuers equipped with oxygen apparatuses carried out intensive work to restore the atmosphere in the endangered area to safe gas concentration levels. They built over a fan and more than 200 meters of a ventube – an installation that allows the injection of fresh air.
(3/3) Aby sukcesywnie i skutecznie przewietrzyć odcinkami wyrobisko przyścianowe ściany N-6 i bezpiecznie kontynuować poszukiwanie pracowników, ratownicy muszą zabudować odcinkami jeszcze około 500 metrów lutniociągu.
— JSW S.A. (@jsw_sa) April 21, 2022
To successfully and effectively ventilate the longwall main excavation of the N-6 walls sections and continue the search for workers safely, the rescuers have to build over sections in about 500 meters of the ventube.
There were probably 2 methane explosions in the coal mine. One of them took place during the rescue operation and was especially dangerous. In the area of an accident, a total of 42 workers were in great danger. 25 casualties are in hospitals with severe injuries and 5 mineworkers died in the accident. The victims’ families were provided with psychological care.
“We assure that all the best methods of treatment will be applied to increase the chances of winning the fight for the lives of miners and rescuers. We will look after them now and everybody else here in the future,” the head of the Polish government Mateusz Morawiecki emphasized.
President Andrzej Duda is going to visit the Pniówek coal mine today and see the rescue teams.
Szef Gabinetu Prezydenta RP @PSzrot: Prezydent @AndrzejDuda uda się dziś na Śląsk; odwiedzi miejsce tragedii w kopalni Pniówek, a także spotka się na miejscu m. in. z ratownikami.
— Kancelaria Prezydenta (@prezydentpl) April 21, 2022