PEDDAPALLI: Three coal miners and their manager died when coal blocks buried them alive in the Ramagundam region here on Monday.
The miners and the manager of the government-owned Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) died at Adriyala Shaft (longwall) project at open cast project-2 while coal from the underground mine was being brought to the surface by using underground shaft (longwall) mining technology.
On learning about the incident, the SCCL rescue team and authorities rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation.
Preliminary reports indicate that a few more miners were injured in the mishap while they were on coal excavation operation. They have been shifted to the area hospital where they are under treatment.
Coal workers' union leaders alleged the tragedy took place due to the lack of on-site safety measures.
"Whenever any accident takes place, the officials take safety measures and later forget about them," the union leaders alleged.
In November last, four workers of Singareni Collieries were killed in a mining roof collapse.