RANCHI: In a shocking incident in underground fire-affected Dhanbad, three people were buried alive after a house suddenly collapsed into the ground following a massive explosion.
According to locals, the rescue operation began at least four hours after the incident, after which the bodies of the three victims were recovered.
Manohar Oraon’s house was completely destroyed in the collapse, trapping the victims beneath the debris. The deceased have been identified as Manohar Oraon (60), his 17-year-old daughter Geeta Kumari, and his neighbour’s wife Sarita Devi (45).
Dhanbad SSP Prabhat Kumar confirmed the deaths. “A total of three people were caved in after the house collapsed at Tandabadi Basti under Sonardih police station. Their bodies were recovered during the rescue operation,” he said, adding that it took over four hours of strenuous effort to retrieve them.
Eyewitnesses said the collapse was so sudden that household belongings and livestock were also swallowed in the subsidence. An adjacent house was also affected.
According to locals, Manohar Oraon was inside the house with his daughter and Sarita Devi, who had come over for some work, when the incident occurred. The sudden subsidence gave them no time to react, trapping them under the debris.
Manohar Oraon’s wife, Chhotu Devi, said she was not at home at the time of the accident. “My husband, daughter and Sarita Devi were inside the house and fell victim to this tragedy,” she said.
Panic gripped the area after the incident, with residents fleeing their homes in search of safety. Hundreds of villagers gathered at the site within minutes.
Agitated residents blocked the Rajganj–Chas main road, leading to long traffic snarls in both directions. While smaller vehicles managed to pass through, heavy vehicles remained stranded until late in the night. The blockade was lifted after more than four hours, restoring normal traffic movement.
Villagers attributed the incident to ongoing illegal coal mining in the area. “An entry point for illegal mining is located close to the site, where heavy blasting has destabilised the ground. We had been issued notices to vacate, but no rehabilitation was arranged,” said a local, requesting anonymity.
BCCL officials declined to comment on the incident.