Twelve workers were trapped for nearly 13 hours inside the Kumardihi coal mine in Pandaveswar, West Bengal, after a mechanical failure stopped their lift about 150 feet below the surface. All 12 were rescued safely at around 6 am on Tuesday, according to the mine authorities, and were sent to a local health centre for medical examinations.
The workers had entered the mine in West Burdwan on Monday. Four were returning to the surface after completing their work, while eight were still working underground when the lift, known locally as a duli, stopped because of the mechanical problem. The failure left them stranded from Monday afternoon until early Tuesday morning.
Rescue efforts continued through the night but did not immediately bring the workers out. The operation was accelerated in the early hours, allowing the workers to be evacuated at around 6 am. The mine authorities said all 12 workers were in good health after the rescue.
Food and drinking water were sent underground during the night, according to Pandaveswar BJP MLA Jitendra Tiwari, who reached the site after receiving news of the incident. The workers also responded from inside the mine, indicating that they were in contact with people at the surface while the rescue operation was under way.
Tiwari said the authorities would investigate who was responsible for the incident after the rescue operation was completed. A mine official, speaking on condition of anonymity, attributed the problem to a mechanical failure.
The incident has also brought attention to claims by some mine workers that lift-related problems occur from time to time. Workers reportedly said that the lift sometimes becomes stuck because of mechanical faults and that there have also been incidents involving broken lift ropes. They questioned why a permanent solution had not been found despite repeated problems. The MLA heard the workers’ complaints at the site.
The lift is used to move workers between the underground sections and the surface, making its operation central to daily access and evacuation inside the mine. In this case, the workers remained underground for several hours before they could be brought out. Their referral to a local health centre was the next official step after the rescue.
The immediate incident was attributed to a mechanical fault, but the authorities’ proposed investigation will determine the cause of the failure and examine the workers’ allegations about earlier lift-related problems. No further details about the investigation timeline or any action against those responsible were provided in the report.
