Date:19/10/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/10/19/stories/2003101908410500.htm

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Miners' bodies retrieved after 40 hours

By Our Staff Reporter

GODAVARIKHANI OCT. 18. After toiling for over 40 hours, the rescue teams of the Singareni Collieries Company Limited have today retrieved the bodies of all 10 coal miners who were buried alive under the debris of a huge roof which collapsed in the 8 (A) incline underground mine in the Ramagundam region. The last body retrieved was that of Lambu Mallaiah (mine sardar) which was trapped under huge blocks of debris. The body of Mallaiah was severely ruptured under the impact of the fall. The rescue teams worked round the clock and retrieved four bodies on Friday and the remaining six bodies were retrieved from the debris today.

Family members and relatives of the victims were seen wailing inconsolably near the mine site anxiously waiting to see their beloved ones. Senior SCCL officials were overseeing the rescue operations.

The Minister for Energy, K. Subba Rayudu, and the Manthani MLA, D. Sridhar, have been camping here since Friday.