An expert rescue team of Nagpur-headquartered Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) has gone to Assam to take part in the operations to rescue labourers trapped inside a quarry in Umrangso, some 250 kilometres from Guwahati in the north-eastern state, an official said here on Thursday.
The labourers were trapped inside the 3-Kilo Coal Quarry on Monday after a sudden gush of water flooded the site. According to employees of the quarry, there were around 15 workers inside the illegal mine when water breached one of the walls and flooded the entire shaft and tunnels.
“A five-member team was flown to the accident site in a C-130 Hercules plane on January 8. The team is equipped with massive submersible pump that can pump out 500 gallons of water per minute at a height of 150 metres, complex cable network, starters and other equipment to help in the rescue operations,” a WCL release said.
“The heavy duty submersible pump will be installed at the incident spot where the miners are trapped and it will pump out water. The rescue team responded to the emergency call in just four hours with all the necessary equipment needed,” it added.
The WCL rescue team is considered among the best for such operations and had also taken part in operations to rescue workers trapped in a tunnel in Uttarakhand, officials said.
Meanwhile, rescue operations by multiple state and central agencies continued for the fourth day on Thursday to locate trapped miners inside the illegal rat-hole coal mine in Dima Hasao district of Assam. (PTI)
