29 August, 2011
A Mexican coal mine explosion inside a Coahuila colliery of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA), a subsidiary of the Grupo Acerero del Notre steel and transport conglomerate, killed four miners early on 26 August. The explosion occurred at AHMSA’s “La Esmeralda,” or No. 5 mine in the municipality of San Juan de Sabinas.
Six other miners managed to escape the blast, which occurred during the 25 August night shift. The explosion caused a roof inside the mine to collapse, burying the miners who were operating machines. A total of 132 miners were at work at the No. 5 mine at the time of the blast. Bodies of the four dead miners were recovered late on 26 August.
They are: Miguel Hernández Martínez, 33; Mario Alberto Flores Martínez, 38; Ángel González Pineda, 32; and Jesús Tobías Hernández, 36.
The ICEM and Metalworkers’ affiliate, National Miners' and Metalworkers' Union of Mexico (SNTMMSRM), or Los Mineros, blasted the yellow union set up at La Esmeralda for remaining silent on the mine tragedy, just as it had when a 27 March 2011 tragedy happened at another AHMSA mine that killed two and injured three. That occurred at AHMSA’s Monclova No. 7 mine, also in Coahuila state.
Los Mineros leveled blame on the company and the “irresponsibility, greed, and arrogance” of AHMSA that caused the deaths, comparing it to Grupo México’s negligence in the 2006 Pasta de Conchos mine explosion that killed 65 miners.
AHMSA is Mexico’s largest vertically integrated steel producer and third largest overall, and is a company that strives to supply its own coal and iron ore reserves. The company, which was state owned until 1992, also has become a heavyweight in cross-border transport and export of pipe and tube, rolled steel products, carbon steels, and other iron and steel products. Construction of AHMSA’s sixth blast furnace recently as part of the Fénix project, has lifted the firm’s annual steel-making capacity to over five million tonnes annually.
The La Esmeralda mine began production in 1999.
Over two dozen mine deaths have occurred so far this year in Coahuila state, including 14 who died after an explosion in an illegal coal mine on 3 May. That Mexican safety travesty can be read here in an ICEM May 2011 account.