Mine explosion leaves country in shock

25th September 2009

Flags across Poland were lowered to half mast at the beginning of this week for two days in a solemn tribute to 13 miners who died in the latest disaster to blight the nation’s coal industry.


Twelve of the victims died when a blast, caused by a methane explosion, ripped through the Wujek-Slask coalmine on September 18. Another miner died a few days later in hospital from serious injuries sustained in the accident.

This figure had risen to 17 by mid week, with a further 20 men, including some suffering from 90-degree burns, requiring hospital treatment.

“We did not know what was going on underground,” said Andrzej Bielecki, spokesman of the Wujek-Slask colliery, describing the ...