📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Joydeep
National
14 Workers Trapped in Pulley Lift at West Bengal Coal Mine, Rescue Efforts Underway
✍️ India Today
🗓 27 Oct 2026, 04:45 AM
👁 13
A technical glitch in a pulley lift at a West Bengal coal mine left 14 workers stranded, prompting immediate rescue operations.
A malfunction in the pulley lift system of a coal mine in West Bengal trapped fourteen miners inside the shaft early on Monday. The lift, which is used to transport workers between the surface and underground tunnels, stopped abruptly, leaving the crew unable to exit.
Rescue teams from the state mining directorate, along with fire‑service personnel and specialized rope‑recovery units, were dispatched within minutes. Heavy machinery and breathing apparatuses have been brought to the site to facilitate a safe extraction.
Officials from the West Bengal Coal Authority confirmed that the trapped workers are receiving continuous monitoring and medical attention. They assured that all possible measures are being taken to bring the miners to the surface without injury, though the exact timeline remains uncertain.
The incident has revived concerns over aging infrastructure in Indian coal mines, prompting calls for stricter safety audits and modernization of lift mechanisms across the sector.
Rescue teams from the state mining directorate, along with fire‑service personnel and specialized rope‑recovery units, were dispatched within minutes. Heavy machinery and breathing apparatuses have been brought to the site to facilitate a safe extraction.
Officials from the West Bengal Coal Authority confirmed that the trapped workers are receiving continuous monitoring and medical attention. They assured that all possible measures are being taken to bring the miners to the surface without injury, though the exact timeline remains uncertain.
The incident has revived concerns over aging infrastructure in Indian coal mines, prompting calls for stricter safety audits and modernization of lift mechanisms across the sector.