Ten missing as second JSW-run coal mine in Poland hit by tremor

Hardhat in a coal mine. (Image from RawPixel, CC0).

Ten people are missing after an underground tremor and methane gas leak at the Borynia-Zofiowka mine operated by JSW SA, Europe’s biggest coking coal producer.

JSW Chief Executive Officer Tomasz Cudny said in a statement that a rescue operation was underway.

The emergency follows another incident earlier this week at the Pniowek mine, also run by JSW, that left five miners dead and seven missing following repeated methane explosions. The latest accident took place at 3:40 a.m. on Saturday about 900 meters (2,952 feet) underground, with the tremor trapping 10 of the 52 workers in the area.

“The first rescue group reached the excavation where the shock occurred,” Cudny said. The operation is “difficult” because of the atmospheric conditions following the gas leak although there are “no signs indicating ignition or fire.” 

JSW shares dropped 14% last week, their worst performance since October 2020.

(By Wojciech Moskwa)

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