Investigation is started after mine accident leaves five dead

Newsroom 07/02/2011 | 15:44

An explosion took place in Valea Oltului, at Uricani coal mine, on Saturday afternoon. The explosion brought upon the death of five mine workers, an engineer and four electricians, with ages between 36 and 41 years old. An investigation has been started to establish the exact cause of the accident.

So far, it seems that the explosion occurred after the five victims reconnected the electric panel, which came in contact with gas. A team of 15 went underground to take out the bodies and shortly after the 15 had left the area, another explosion took place, with zero victims, however. The investigation is undertaken by prosecutors from the Court of Appeal in Alba Iulia. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Traian Igas, and the Minister of Economy, Ion Ariton, have both visited the accident site.

There has been constant controversy in Romania’s history concerning the miners’ unsafe and rather rudimentary work conditions. However, as Igas has recently stated, the work conditions in the mine in Uricani “were not that bad”.

Another controversy about miners in Romania is due to the “Mineriad” events. Between June 13 and 15 1990, thousands of coal miners from Valea Jiului were called to Bucharest by the authorities to crush anti-regime demonstrations. They created chaos, ravaging the city, beating, arresting, raping and aggressing hundreds of students, professors, opponents of the political regime, Rroma and simple passers-by. Even now, 20 years after the tragic events, the Romanian authorities have not issued an official explanation for the carnage.