Friday, December 27, 2024

Mine accident leaves 22 miners seriously injured

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Chinese Collum Coal Mine miners
Chinese Collum Coal Mine miners

22 miners were seriously injured in an underground mine accident at the Chinese Coal Mine (CCM) in Sinazongwe in Southern Province on Sunday.

And an unsuspecting Chinese Officer escaped lynching by an angry mob as he was assisting the injured miners access medical attention at Maamba
Hospital.

Quick action from Maamba Hospital staff saved the mob from further lynching the Chinese national. The Hospital staff had a difficult task to contain the mob which earlier accused the mining company of failing to follow safety measures which has continued to cause accidents at the mine.

Both CCM spokesperson and Sinazongwe District Commissioner Oliver Pelete confirmed the development to ZANIS and said they would give a full detailed account of the incident that occured yesterday in the afternoon.

A check by ZANIS at Maamba Hospital found that all the 22 injured miners were admitted except one Chinese national who sustained a broken nose and
was rushed to Lusaka by management.

One of the injured miners Musho Simala, 26 ,disclosed from his hospital bed to ZANIS that the air bag that supplies Oxygen underground burst up
causing the air pressure in the tunnel where the unsuspecting miners were.

He said air pressure resulted in the miners collapsing and hitting themselves against the rocks and pillars underground. The CCM has been having several accidents resulting from poor safety measures, in 2009 the mine was closed after recording several deaths that included a Chinese national and for failing to follow safety measures.

ZANIS

27 COMMENTS

  1. It is a well known fact that the Chinese background on safety is a concern world wide. Even in China safety is an everyday issue and lately pollution is the number one issue. 22 Zambian lives will haunt our souls as policy makers until we come up with good policies to protect our country.

  2. #2. MMD boot licker… get out!. There 1.5billion of them and barely 12m of us. and your fo.o.lish president is chewing expensive JET A1 aviation fule on irrelevant trips instead of getting his butt down there to see for himslef and show leadership for a change!

  3. #3 Digga, your attack on #2 MMD Chief Boot Licker is uncalled for. The Chinese safety record is surely a big concern.

  4. Yeah…….cos of Vasco Dagama Banda,we got these guys with very poor safety records operating our mines. Only movement of mad ogs see good results from doing business with these small maliso.

  5. Iwe bumlicker number 2 shut up. You are saying shi t and yet your party is the policy maker. Why don’t you just do instead of just talk. You talk medicine, safety e.t.c and yet non is been implemented.

  6. Mwefiipuba mwe ,instead of fighting the Chinese go and fight your friends at the ministry of mines,they are the inspectors of mines graduates from UNZA for that matter.These chaps are paid huge sums of money to ensure that the mines are safe for the workers both Zambian and Chinese.However no one likes to see anyone hurt or indeed dead,but you hypocrites what do you say about numerous fatal accidents involving Willie Nsanda and GBM buses nothing.They make their drivers to work long hours without proper rest but because they are PF Kaponyas no one is bothered in the diaspora.Chinese investment whether we like it or not has propelled and will continue to do so for the growth of the Zambian economy not Kaponyas at town centre.
    Kalos20 Zero please shut up,you again nephew of SATANA no wonder.

  7. Hehe…hahaha…hoho Chinese Investment is superb? Chinese Investment for dull Zambians who cant think for themselves. Dull creatures that accept rubbish as investment. Creatures who are so inferior to chinese even when their fellow Zambians are killed by useless $1 million investment. Hehe ,,,hoho It can only happen in Zambia. Ha ha …. Zambia a country where foreigners can do what ever they like. [-([-([-(

  8. YaYa you are offside!!! MMD & the govt make the policies, THEY FACILITATE these companies to operate – don’t blame the inspectors, this is not the first industry to be influenced by selfish arrogant politicians & as such we are not ifipuba ok!

  9. For once MMD CHIEF BOOTLICK has shown a positive side. My brothers-china’s economy is threatening europe too. Reasons are that they are so mean & cost of production for the are so neglegible. The take extremely high risks. Human being for them-the poor are like animals-it dies and can be thrown away. This is why their economy has grown because they are exploiting the poor in the african countries-worse zambia. Bootlicker whether by mistake or what on your comment-thumbs up. Where is SANSAKUWA, CAPTALIST, SIX COLOCK MWATA & DR NGOMA? COWARDS.

  10. “CHINA CHEAP” IS NOT JUST A SLOGAN.
    IT’S REALITY!!

    ZAMBIANS STOP ALLOWING CHINESE COMPANIES PLAYING WITH YOUR LIVES.
    THE MMD GOVERNMENT IS USELESS AND WILL NOT TOUCH ITS FINANCERS.

    These I.D.I.O.T.S like YaYa who say its inspectors fault then who do the inspectors work for?
    The blame can go right to the top of government with tax free deals with no ties.

  11. The Cinese are untouchable, not even Mine Safety Department dare touch them. Chambishi Smelter owned by the Chinese have threatened to report Kalulushi Municipal Council to the minister, if they(KMC)insist on the K9b owed by CCS in rates. So lets just accept that Zambia is a Colony of China. Just as our chiefs sold out to the Europeans, MMD have sold us to the Chinese. When the Chinese were building TAZARA and other infrastructure, KK never allowed them to become a government unto themselves. Reason? He was unbribale unlike the scum that we have in government to day.

  12. When you colonize your resources — a case study on the chinize investments

  13. Now let me tell you people what happens here in china to chinese who dont follow safety rules. if an accident happens like this one all those in the management team will be prosecuted and some killed. this sounds untrue but it is a fact.recently about 45 people died in a mine which did not care about the safe rules and all the management has already been arrested awaiting imprisonment or execution. In Zambia they dont care coz they know that our government doesnt care about its people,they are always protected by our foolish government…..!!!

  14. What has our UNZA school of mines said about this development since they are involved in mine inspections? We need to hold the safety dept at UNZA equaly responsible. They are quick to blame the govt for anything and we here nothing when its something to do with them no one hears nothing. And UNZA students would have stoned innocent people around the institution if this was something to do with their meal allowance. Time to start contributing positively to our country and issues at hand is now. My prayer is with the families

  15. I thought this mine was closed when one of our minister visited it and saw how poor safety measures were for the miners. how come it is till operating?????

  16. I marvel at the level of ignorance displayed by fellow bloggers #17, on this site. Health and safety inspections are the duty and responsibility and obligation of the Ministry of Labour NOT UNZA!!! When such accidents happen, as a nation we should question what the government is doing. This silly finger pointing is symptomatic of what our government does and it has filtered down to the masses and bloggers exhibit fantastic skills at it, shamefully. Let us be serious, we have a fantastic country which because of our negligence as citizens are sending to the dogs. It is one thing to blame who ever is in government for whater ills, but another thing to go out and vote someone else in or out. As long as we dont vote, we are choosing the leaders we have, most of us are guilty of this.

  17. The Chinese are notorious for mine safety. Accidents are rife in China and their main concern is when production will resume and not the welfare of the workers. I suppose with a population of nearly a billion (?) they can afford to have a few hundred people die here and there without an impact on the overall population size.And meantime the leader of the nation is enjoying watching football in SA! What crap!

  18. I see our PF/UPND counterparts are not exposed to the developed world. In countries like South Africa, Japan, Russia, USA you will find that major institutions of learning contribute to national development thru its students’ and dept involvement in national issues. If UNZA school of mines has no role in monitoring mines safety where they send their students for onsite project and training in their 4th year then we have a big problem! UNZA need to explain their findings prior to the accident so we can have faith in our local institutions

  19. 19 and 21 19 You are right so I dont know what legislation,No 21 MMD Boot Licker is using.According to the Guide To Mine Act and Explosives Regulation of 1974, all mining safety falls under the Chief Inspector of Mines who is head of the Mine Safety Department. The Chief Inspector has unlimited powers ER article 5(1) in his adminstration of mine safety. He can close any mine which in his opinion falls below the standard mine safety.UNZA does not come in in anyway atall.

  20. #22 MMD Chief Boot Licker- You are right so I dont know what legislation,No 21 MMD Boot Licker is using.According to the Guide To Mine Act and Explosives Regulation of 1974, all mining safety falls under the Chief Inspector of Mines who is head of the Mine Safety Department. The Chief Inspector has unlimited powers ER article 5(1) in his adminstration of mine safety. He can close any mine which in his opinion falls below the standard mine safety.UNZA does not come in in anyway atall. The CI has all kinds of professionals as Inspectors eg Ventilation, Explosives, Metalurgical, Health & Enviroment.#21 I meant 22

  21. We are to blame for all of these things. If we want such not to repeat, let us registor and vote out who is not working. How many times have we blamed, advised, rebuked and nothing seem to change? Let us use the power of a VOTE then the battlewill be won. So, on this let us point at ourselves and say its us who has caused it. then next year will be conscious of all these.

  22. # 8, we know u are in love with this gorvenmemnt, but let us table the issue at hand. As much as we know that Chinese are all over the world, they should respect the owners. Its the weakness of the govenment that allow a forengner behvae like this. Which Zambian can go to China and shoot at any one even if He/she has invested $20 trillion in that coutry? We are not dogs but humans. We should not allow outsiders step on our heads. Look at the way our people are getting paid at Collum coal mine. Through a small window sure in 2010. We leant that in history that our parents were paid through such, but to my supprise, even now its there. Let us be awake Zambians. Unless you are a Zambian you will not feel a pain.

  23. Chiness are reckless and they have no respect for human life.
    There is lacky of comitment on gorvernment instituitions to enforce labor laws.
    Why didnt the mines safe department evoke Cap 115 of the laws of Zambia to prevent a disaster at Bigrims explosives factory?

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