Bulgarian Authorities to Inspect Oranovo Mining Concession after Tragic Incident

Hasan Ademov, Bulgaria's Minister of Labor and Social Policy, photo by BGNES

The families of the two miners, who died in the July 16 Oranovo coal mine collapse in southwestern Bulgaria, will receive one-time financial aid amounting to BGN 325, while the Social Protection Fund will cover the funeral expenses, according to Hasan Ademov, Minister of Labor and Social Policy.

Ademov told the Focus news agency that the measures were to be approved during Wednesday's sitting of the government.

Ademov also claimed that it was to early to comment on demands for changes to working environment regulations aimed at guaranteeing fast response of rescue teams in such accidents.

He said that the main problem which was being discussed was whether rescuers were to be appointed at each mine, or headquartered in a number of locations from where they would respond to signals, adding that the decisions would be taken after the investigation was wrapped up and an analysis containing concrete proposals was in place.

The July 16 rockfall in the Oranovo coal mine left two miners dead. Rescue teams continue the search for their two colleagues that remain trapped underneath 50 meters of land mass.

The rockfall was the fourth tragic incident at the mine for the past eight years.

In an interview for the Bulgarian National Television, Dragomir Stoynev, Minister of Economy and Energy, said that the authorities would investigate the Oranovo accident and hold people liable for it only after the miners were taken out.

He informed that he had ordered an inspection of the concession agreement for the exploitation of the mine on suspicion of irregularities.

Stoynev suggested that the results of the inspection were to be published by the end of the week.

He said that it was necessary to examine all mining concessions in the country, adding that the working conditions in the sector required special attentions.

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