Two workers trapped by collapsed coal mass in Georgia's west [updated]
Locals seen gathering around the open-pit construction where the coal mass reportedly collapsed on Saturday afternoon, trapping two individuals. Photo via Interpressnews agency.
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Update 17:44:
Georgia's Emergency Management Service has said its rescue crews have reached one of the two workers trapped in the disintegrated "land mass" and are working to transport him to safety.
The agency said the individual was "responsive", adding a search was still ongoing to find the second worker who found himself under the collapsing pile.
The update from the Service also said the mass had collapsed as the two workers were reinforcing structures of the open-pit mine.
Previous:
Two workers have been reportedly trapped in a collapse of a coal mass in the industrial city of Tkibuli in Georgia's west on Saturday.
Reporting on the incident that took place in the afternoon local time, Georgian news agencies said two individuals were suspected to be under the collapsed pile.
Interpressnews agency cited locals as saying they could hear calls for help from one of the workers, from under the mass.
The incident has happened at a private, open-pit mining site near the city, located about 35 km north-east of the Imereti regional capital of Kutaisi.
Nine miners in Georgia’s western Tkibuli municipality are on strike in a mine refusing to come out, protesting against receiving the halved salaries in January. Tamaz Dolaberidze of the Georgian Trade Unions Confederation said that due to less coal mining activity than planned in January, the miners were paid less by Saknakhshiri coal mining company.
An agreement has been reached between Saknakhshiri GIG and Tkibuli miners, who will return to work tomorrow, said trade union representative Gaga Isakadze.
About one thousand miners in the Mindeli and Dzidziguri mines of Tkibuli have been on strike since yesterday, trade union representative Gaga Isakadze announced.
Miners in the western Georgian mining town of Tkibuli have stopped their protest today as they have been promised to be paid their salaries on Monday, Georgian Minister of Economy Natia Turnava said yesterday after meeting with Saknakhshiri, a daughter company of Georgian Industrial Group (GIG) and miners.
One of two workers, trapped in a collapse of a coal mass in the western Georgian town of Tkibuli, was found dead late yesterday. The search operation is now over. Earlier that day the Emergency Management Service rescued another worker in the disintegrated "land mass" and transport him to safety.
One miner died and eight more were injured in a coal mine explosion in western Georgia's Tkibuli town late at night on January 30.
Preliminary investigation has shown the blasting operation was carried out in violation of safety rules in the Tkibuli town mine in Georgia’s west, where an explosion claimed the life of one worker and injured eight others, the Labour Inspection Service of Georgia has said.