Envis Centre, Ministry of Environment & Forest, Govt. of India

Printed Date: Friday, March 29, 2024

Damra Colliery on 14.3.1954

 

Damra Colliery

 

Date of the Accident - 14.3.1954
Number of persons killed - 10
Owner - Kalipahari Coal Co.
Place - Raniganj Coalfield

 

The explosion at Damra Mine occurred on a Sunday in the Ghusick seam known to be highly gassy. While 10 persons, including a qualified mining sirdar, were employed in a dip gallery for installation of an electric pump, an accumulation of firedamp near the roof of the gallery was ignited by persons smoking and an explosion occurred. All the ten persons were killed instantaneously.

 

As a result of the enquiry, the following recommendations were made:

 

  1. The practice of appointing banksman as body-searcher for Sundays should be given up and separate body-searchers other than banksman be appointed on Sundays even if the number of persons going underground is very small.
  2. The practice of requiring the winding engineman to attend to the ventilation fan on Sundays should be given up and separate persons should be appointed for the purpose.
  3. Electric safety lamps should be provided for general use by the work-persons and flame safety lamps should be used only for statutory inspections.