Explosion Kills Worker at Alrosa Mine

RAPAPORT… An employee at Alrosa’s Udachny mine died Wednesday when explosives went off 580 meters below ground.

The incident occurred while a worker was planting explosives inside the underground mine in preparation for blasting works. The victim was 47 years old, the Russian mining company told Rapaport News.

Mine operators received reports of an explosion at 5:26 am local time, Alrosa said. Rescuers evacuated all
174 workers, but security personnel remained.

Work at the mine resumed less than three hours later. Alrosa has determined gas levels at the site to be normal.

The incident occurred less than a year after the company’s
Mir underground mine flooded, killing eight employees. Following the incident,
Alrosa fired two senior people and reprimanded others.

The miner has established a commission to investigate the Udachny
accident.

Image: Alrosa’s Udachny mine