Polish coking coal miner JSW’s Vice-President for Technical & Operational Matters Mr Edward Paździorko announced on 4 February that a rescue operation will begin with the goal of reaching the seven missing miners. The rescue operation will consist of two stages. In the first stage, the sealed area will be reduced. Only after it has been penetrated, a decision on further action will be possible.The first stage of the rescue operation will enable an assessment of the situation in the N-6 longwall area and then a decision will be made whether a completely new working should be made to enable faster access to the missing miners. So far, three boreholes drilled in the N-6 excavated ramp have allowed for a preliminary assessment of the parameters in the sealed area.About 90 mining teams from all mines of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa Group will take part in the rescue operation. They will be searching for two miners and five mine rescuers missing underground. The first crews of mine rescue workers descended to the region of longwall N-6 before 6:00 AM on 4 February. The rescue crews that descended to the region where the rescue operation is being conducted have already set up rescue base and commenced their work in the sealed off area. After first airing out the mining pits and securing an atmosphere making it possible to enter the area safely, the rescue workers will start to enter the mining pits and build new insulation seals using chemical foam around longwall N-6.The first phase of the rescue operation will make it possible to assess the circumstances around longwall N-6 and make the decision on executing the second phase of the search. The mine is considering a scenario in which it will build a new 350-meter mining pit enabling rescue workers to reach the missing miners safely. This may take as long as four to six months.
Polish coking coal miner JSW’s Vice-President for Technical & Operational Matters Mr Edward Paździorko announced on 4 February that a rescue operation will begin with the goal of reaching the seven missing miners. The rescue operation will consist of two stages. In the first stage, the sealed area will be reduced. Only after it has been penetrated, a decision on further action will be possible.The first stage of the rescue operation will enable an assessment of the situation in the N-6 longwall area and then a decision will be made whether a completely new working should be made to enable faster access to the missing miners. So far, three boreholes drilled in the N-6 excavated ramp have allowed for a preliminary assessment of the parameters in the sealed area.About 90 mining teams from all mines of Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa Group will take part in the rescue operation. They will be searching for two miners and five mine rescuers missing underground. The first crews of mine rescue workers descended to the region of longwall N-6 before 6:00 AM on 4 February. The rescue crews that descended to the region where the rescue operation is being conducted have already set up rescue base and commenced their work in the sealed off area. After first airing out the mining pits and securing an atmosphere making it possible to enter the area safely, the rescue workers will start to enter the mining pits and build new insulation seals using chemical foam around longwall N-6.The first phase of the rescue operation will make it possible to assess the circumstances around longwall N-6 and make the decision on executing the second phase of the search. The mine is considering a scenario in which it will build a new 350-meter mining pit enabling rescue workers to reach the missing miners safely. This may take as long as four to six months.
