A tragic incident occurred in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district, where a contractual worker is feared dead after falling into a burning, abandoned coal mine near Bhuchungdih village. The incident happened on Tuesday when a sudden land subsidence caused the worker, identified as Ravindra Mahto, to fall into the underground blaze. Mahto was part of a firefighting team working to control the flames at the abandoned mine site located in the Rajrappa police station area. The fire had been burning underground since April 20, prompting authorities to initiate containment measures to prevent it from spreading to nearby residential areas.
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Officials reported that as the ground gave way unexpectedly, Mahto was swallowed by the flames below. Rescue efforts were immediately launched with a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) leading the operation. Despite their efforts, hopes of recovering the body remain slim. Chandan Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Ramgarh, stated, “We initiated a search and rescue operation led by the NDRF last night, but the team has indicated that the chances of recovering the body are very low.”
Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), though not directly operating the affected mine, has been assisting the local administration in combating the fire. Kalyanji Prasad, General Manager of CCL’s Rajrappa area, confirmed their involvement. “Although the mine is not under our jurisdiction, we are cooperating fully with the authorities to contain the fire and ensure it does not spread to the nearby densely populated Bhuchungdih village,” he said.
The ongoing underground fire highlights the risks posed by abandoned coal mines in the region. Such incidents underline the need for more robust safety measures and proper management of decommissioned mining sites. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely while efforts to fully extinguish the fire remain underway. The tragedy has sparked concerns about worker safety and the environmental hazards posed by neglected coal mine fires, prompting renewed calls for stricter oversight and preventive measures.