Maravi

Smoke chokes 155 Mopani miners

Smoke chokes 155 Mopani miners
Written by Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe and Zumani Katasefa in Luanshya
Saturday, January 10, 2009 2:31:39 AM

ONE hundred and fifty-five (155) miners at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM)’s Mindolo subvertical were choked on Thursday night after an underground conveyor belt caught fire.

All of the 155 were however rescued and immediately taken to Wusakili Mine Hospital where they were admitted for observation. Of the 155 that were admitted, 10 were still admitted by press time yesterday.

Sources told The Post that most of the mine workers in the afternoon shift were choked from the smoke that came from the burning conveyor belt underground.

And MCM corporate affairs manager Chuma Kabaghe confirmed the fire incident but stated that there were no fatalities.

"On Thursday, 8th January 2009 at about 18:30 hours, the UG8 conveyor belt underground on 2880 level caught fire," Kabaghe stated. "This conveyor belt which is located in a tunnel transfers ore from the Subvertical Shaft to number One Shaft. Since this tunnel in which the conveyor belt is located is a fresh air intake, the smoke drifted downstream at a fast rate affecting 155 employees on different levels in the afternoon shift through smoke inhalation."

She stated that rescue operations were conducted by Mopani fire crew and rescue operation teams that included those from Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) and Chibuluma Mines.

"All the 155 employees who went underground on the afternoon shift of Thursday were evacuated, accounted for and hospitalised for observation," she stated. "Only 10 out of all the employees earlier admitted are still under observation and are in a stable condition."

Kabaghe stated that the fire came under control at 02:45 hours yesterday morning and thanked KCM and Chibuluma Mines rescue teams for their assistance.

"However, the conveyor belt continued smouldering owing to the high tempereatures within the conveyor belt tunnel," stated Kabaghe. "All logistics are in place to effectively extinguish the smouldering belt."

Meanwhile, mines minister Maxwell Mwale has said the government will not immediately take over the running of Luanshya Copper Mine as it first needed to look at certain technicalities involved in the matter.

Addressing Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) local branch officials after touring the Baluba mine following reports that the mine may flood due to the inadequate care and maintenance programme which had been put in place by the investor, Mwale reiterated that the government was committed to ensuring that the mine was reopened.

"We would like to see that the mine is opened, we are doing everything possible and a technical committee has since been put in place to look into the matter. As government we used to operate ZCCM, so as government we cannot fail to run the Baluba mine but we have to look at legal aspects and also economic aspects," said Mwale. "We also have to look at what message we would be sending to the donor community and other investors if we take over the mine."

And Copperbelt minister Mwansa Mbulakulima said the union had just expressed concern that the mine could get flooded because of the inadequate care and maintenance programme put in place.

And MUZ local branch officials who had accompanied the minister during his tour of the mine observed that the 480m level central haulage had foggy visibility and ventilation was bad.

"The ground is weak and this is the access to the centre lib and the flat area which is the main production area of our mine. In the same area are machines such as drilling rig, ventilation fans and there is also an 11kv substation which is live," they said.

They said if the 11kv substation was disturbed, it could cause a major electrical power interruption on the Copperbelt.

"Also notable was the visible water on live electrical panels at another substation. This will cause a blow of such electrical installations," they said.

During the tour of the underground mine, LCM chief operations manager James Bethel was visibly panicking in trying not to lead the minister to some sections of the mine where the situation was bad.

Labels: MINERS, SAFETY

posted by MrK @ 2:30 AM