Accident turns spotlight on Romanian mining conditions

25/11/2008

Some workers at the Petrila mines, where more than a dozen people died in twin explosions earlier this month, say management ignored warnings.

By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest – 25/11/08

A deadly buildup of methane gas caused twin explosions at the Petrila mines on November 15th. [Getty Images]

As Romania reels from this month's catastrophe at the Petrila mines, increased scrutiny is focusing on the practises of the mining industry. Critics speak of warnings ignored and pressure on miners to return to unsafe workplaces.

The November 15th blasts in Romania's Jiu Valley represented the worst such incident in the country since 2001. A concentration of methane gas led to two explosions, with the second one decimating rescue crews who had responded to the first.

Eight miners and four rescue workers died on the scene, while dozens were hospitalised with burns. A 13th miner died while in hospital on Monday (November 24th), ten days after the accident.

"We don't have to continue killing people in the mines," President Traian Basescu said as he visited the accident site. He called on authorities to improve working conditions.

A hearing is reviewing complaints by victims' relatives that management already knew of the problems in the mine in the days before the explosions, with some miners already having suffered burns. Prosecutors cross-examined managers at the National Coal Company (CNH) in Petrosani.

According to a Realitatea TV report, miners told their supervisors of their concerns but had to return to work anyway. Marian Holban, a miners' union leader, has filed a complaint with local police, alleging that he received death threats after having appeared on a TV show to discuss poor working conditions in the mining sector.

Economy Minister Varujan Vosganian has suspended the CNH management until the investigation is complete. He also wants an inquiry into state subsidies. Official figures show CNH has accumulated 1.3 billion euros in debt to the state, making it the largest such debtor.

The Romanian government has allocated financial aid for the victims' families -- 2,600 euros for the relatives of those killed or severely injured and 1,300 euros for the other wounded.

Bucharest will issue special student grants to the 13 children whose fathers died last week in the mining accident. County authorities and the CNH have also pledged substantial financial support.

Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, meanwhile, cautions against drawing premature conclusions. "We have to wait for the results of the inquiry and avoid speculation until then," he said.

The last accident at Petrila occurred in 1982, during the Ceausescu era, and was just as severe. Fourteen miners died and 15 were injured.