Driver Killed, Two Tippers Smashed In Kulda Open Cast Coal Mine Blast

Sundargarh: A driver died on the spot and a tipper was smashed following a blast in Kulda open cast coal mine in Odisha’s Sundargarh district on Friday afternoon.

According to reports, authorities of the Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) were conducting a blast at the open cast mines when the driver, unaware, went inside the zone with the tipper to upload coal. The tipper was blown away.

While the driver, identified as Aslam Ansari of Ranchi died on the spot, the tipper was completely destroyed. Two tippers near the area were also badly damaged.
Tension ran high in the area when tipper drivers took the body of the driver and staged a demonstration at the MCL office demanding Rs 10 lakh compensation to the family of the deceased.
They blamed MCL authorities for not informing about the blasting being conducted, which resulted in the driver’s death. Following information, Kulda police rushed to the spot and took the body for post-mortem.

It may be mentioned that 13 people had died in the coal dump yard near the open cast mines on August 10 in 2013 when a portion of it caved in.