A fatal accident occurred early Tuesday morning at a coal mine in Dogye-eup, Samcheok City, in South Korea’s Gangwon Province, claiming the life of a 57-year-old worker.
According to local officials, the incident happened around 3:05 a.m., approximately 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) underground, deep inside one of the mine’s tunnels. The worker, whose identity has not been released, was on a night shift when a section of the tunnel suddenly collapsed.
The mining company quickly mobilized an in-house rescue team of about 30 personnel. The worker was found roughly two hours later, but was already in cardiac arrest. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Possible Cause: Sudden Slurry Collapse
Investigators believe the collapse may have been triggered by a sudden rush of a slurry-like mixture of coal and water during extraction operations. Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation into the exact cause and whether proper safety measures were in place.
The mine typically operates on a three-shift rotation with about 100 workers. The fact that the incident occurred during an overnight shift has heightened public concern and added to the tragedy.
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