Another Coal Mine Blast in Russia’s Kuzbass Kills 39 Miners

A second methane gas blast in Russia’s Kuznetsk Basin region of southern Siberia on 24 May has killed 39 coal miners. The workers were affiliated with ICEM’s Russian Independent Coal Miners’ Union (ROSUGLEPROF), as were 110 miners who died 19 March at the Ulyanovskaya mine, Russia’s worst mining disaster in 60 years.

Both mines are operated by Yuzhkuzbassugol, the mining subsidiary of the Evraz Group, Russia’s second largest steel and metals company.

The tragedy 12 days ago occurred at Yuzhkuzbassogol’s Yubilienaya mine. An immense methane build-up had formed, and the explosion occurred due to a spark from a faulty electrical cable that apparently had been switched off. The ICEM mourns the loss of the miners and in the wake of this recent disaster, and calls on mining companies to implement all modern safeguards to protect the lives of miners in this era of high prices and high output of natural resources.

Russia’s federal environmental, engineering, and nuclear worksite regulatory agency, Rostekhnadzor, had repeatedly cited the Yubilienaya mine with safety deficiencies. The agency had attempted to halt work at the mine until all safety measures were put in place. But managers of Yuzhbuzbassugol had fought those orders in local courts and won reprieves for work to continue.

In fact, the shafts inside Yubilienaya where the explosion occurred had been temporarily shut for a brief period only weeks before.

ROSUGLEPROF President Ivan Mokhnachuk faulted the Russian pay system for bringing unsafe conditions in mines. Since nearly all Russian coal mines have been privatised, the flat-rate monthly wage has been set at a bare minimum, while the vast share of all mining salaries are based on production. “While volume, productivity, and profits have risen since the coal industry has been privatised, individual workers are worse off,” he told the New York Times.

 ROSUGLEPROF President Ivan Mokhnachuk

The 19 March Ulyanovskaya mine disaster in the Kemerovo region is a case in point. Evidence indicates that managers had tampered with sophisticated methane gas detection equipment in order that production would continue even with high build-up levels of the gas.

The death toll of 159 from the two Yuzhkuzbassugol mine tragedies just 66 days apart more than doubles the 68 deaths that occurred in all of Russia’s coal mines in 2006.