According to preliminary data, three people were killed in an incident at the Taimyrsky mine of the Norilsk Nickel company in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. This was reported by the press service of the company.

“As a result of the accident on October 22, 2019, several people were injured. According to preliminary data, three people died. The circumstances of the incident are being clarified. Emergency rescue services are working on the spot, ”the statement reads.

Later, the Norilsk Nickel specified that the bodies of workers with no signs of life were found at around 16:30 local time at a depth of 1345 meters.

It is noted that a militarized mountain rescue unit is operating at the scene. A commission has been established to clarify all the circumstances of the incident.

According to the Ministry of Emergencies, there was no collapse as a result of the incident, and Taimyrsky continues to work. The Office clarifies that the bodies of the dead workers were found by their colleagues.

The Investigative Committee for the region announced a check on the death of workers, specifying their age.

“According to preliminary data, on October 22 in the evening, mining was carried out at the Taimyrsky mine of the ZF PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel at a depth of 1345 meters. For an unknown reason, three workers died at the age of 40, 45 and 49 years, ”the department reports.

Authorities in the region reported some details of the incident.

“Three people died, no injuries. In the course of work, the chief mechanic and chief specialist left and did not return, the master went after them to search and also disappeared. After that, they found all three, ”TASS quoted the vice-premier of the regional government, Anatoly Tsykalov. According to him, there is no threat to the remaining employees of the mine.

We add that the employees of Rostekhnadzor arrived at the scene of the emergency and began to investigate the causes of the incident.

A source in the region’s emergency services believes workers could have died due to gas poisoning. It is reported by TASS.

At the same time, RIA Novosti reports with reference to a company representative that such a scenario is unlikely at the Taimyrsky mine.

“This is not a coal mine. A methane yield is unlikely, ”quotes the agency as representative of the Polar Division of Norilsk Nickel Mikhail Demyanov.

Other incidents at the Norilsk Nickel mines

In 2017, an incident with victims occurred at the Zapolyarny mine of Norilsk Nickel. During construction work, an explosion of methane vapor occurred, resulting in the death of four workers, three more were injured of moderate severity.

The Rostekhnadzor Commission found that the incident occurred due to an inoperative stationary methane control system in a mine working, failure to carry out gas removal measures and work in violation of safety requirements.

In January 2019, the Norilsk court, as part of the investigation of this incident, sentenced the ex-head of the underground section to two years of imprisonment, and the former head of the underground ventilation section, Yuri Trukhin, was assigned three years of forced labor.

In February 2016, at another mine of Norilsk Nickel called Komsomolsky, water began to flow in one of the workings for unknown reasons. Of the three miners who were in this place, one could not go upstairs; his body was found a few days later.

In September 2015, at the Oktyabrsky mine, when carrying out work on an area of ​​700 m, a part of the retaining wall collapsed. In the incident, a mining foreman and an explosive were killed, another worker was injured. In 2003, a rock collapse occurred at the same mine, resulting in the death of two workers. One of them died on the spot, the second - on the way to the hospital.

Earlier, in March 2001, an explosion occurred at the Zapolyarny mine in a mine at a depth of 201 m. At this moment, explosives were transported. Two miners died in the accident, four more were injured.

Two years before these events, in March 1999, at the Kayerkansky mine at a depth of 150 m, three miners were killed during planned blasting operations. The cause of the incident was a violation of safety rules. It should be noted that now the Anhydrite mine of the Kayerkansky mine, where the state of emergency occurred, is a training ground of the Norilsk Nickel Corporate University non-governmental educational institution.