Sobieski Mine accident in Jaworzno. 4 miners are dead

At 8:35 p.m., the rescue action at the ZG Sobieski mine in Jaworzno ended, as Marcin Maslak, the company's press spokesman, reported. Rescue teams reached 3 wanted miners. Unfortunately, the doctor only confirmed their deaths. The accident occurred in the Piłsudski shaft in the afternoon, November 28.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki expressed his condolences to the families and close victims of this tragic incidental at the Sobieski mine in Jaworzno. He declared support for families in this hard situation.

"A immense tragedy in Sobieski mine in Jaworzno. As a consequence of the pipeline leak, workers died and 1 of them was injured. I offer my condolences to the grieving families and loved ones. I want you well again. I assure you about the support of families in this hard situation," wrote the Prime Minister on social media platforms.

There was a mass accident in the Piłsudski shaft at the Sobieski mine in Jaworzno on Tuesday 28 November 2023. The Higher Mining Office in Katowice confirmed the event. The first data referred to 3 fatalities, 1 miner was in critical condition. It is now known that there are 4 victims.

Tragedy 500 meters underground. Sobieski mine accident in Jaworzno

On 28 November 2023, at a depth of 500 metres underground at the Sobieski mine in Jaworzno, there was a tragic situation. As a consequence of a mass accident, 4 people died and the another miners suffered little injuries.

Anna Swiniarska-Tadla, the press spokesperson of the Higher Mining Office in Katowice, confirmed information about the mass accident. The event took place at 3:30 p.m., erstwhile there was a rinsing of the sub-baseline pipeline at ramp IX, on Deck 209, at level 500.

The subsoil pipeline is simply a key component in the undersad transport, which serves to fill empty spaces after resource use. The podsadsk consists of a mixture of water and solid material, frequently consisting of non-toxic substances specified as ashes, sands or flame rock. Its main nonsubjective is to guarantee that these spaces are filled by planting, i.e. ensuring the stableness of the site as a consequence of the exploitation of hard coal.

Piotr Strzoda, the dispatcher of the Higher Mining Office, pointed out that a six-man crew from the ventilation unit was designated to carry out the procedure of rinsing the underpass tube on the ninth slope, on board 209 at 500 metres deep. However, during the work, there was an uncontrollable outflow of water, which caused the pipes to burst and contributed to this tragic situation.

End of rescue action

At an improvised press conference in front of the ZG Sobieski mine in Jaworzno, press spokesperson Marcin Maślak in the first phase did not confirm the information provided by the Higher Mining Office (WUG), highlighting the dynamic nature of the situation.

"The situation is dynamic. I'm careful with comments. At the moment, we have 1 death of a miner, confirmed by a doctor. 2 people were taken to the hospital. Rescue is underway, and a mining rescue squad from Jaworzna is trying to scope 3 missing miners. The crew that was in the area of the accident consisted of six people, 5 of whom were mine workers, 1 of whom was an outside company employee," explained Maslak early in the evening.

He besides stressed that the mine had formed a crisis staff and informed the victims' families of the situation as shortly as possible, providing them with intellectual support. The rescue came to an end at 8:35, confirming the worst scenario: 4 miners lost their lives.

Despite the tragedy, the mode of working in the mine was not disturbed. The miners continued their regular work. Nevertheless, the upcoming Barborek mining vacation was affected by this event. Maslak expressed that the moods in the mine community are very bad.

“Because of the tragic accident, our immediate plans for the celebration of Barborka will change. I would besides like to express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and guarantee that we are with them," added the spokesman.

Circumstances and causes of the accident will be investigated by the Higher Mining Office in Katowice, which will prepare an incidental report. The D.A. besides works there.

"I can say very mostly that no geological conditions have influenced here. We do not know precisely what happened," said Maslak during the conference.

This is the twelfth tragic accident in mining this year. Eleven miners were killed in the eleven erstwhile events. Today's event is so the first case of a group accident.