Crushed stone in a potash mine in Barcelona

Euskaraz irakurri: Hiru pertsona hil dira Bartzelonako potasa meategi batean izandako luizian

Three people were killed this morning when they were trapped in a potash mine in súria (Barcelona) after a landslide in a gallery, as confirmed by Generalitat Fire Department sources to the ACN office. Two of the three victims were master’s students at the Manresa Higher Polytechnic School of Engineering (EPSEM), dependent on the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC).

The landslide occurred in the mine that operates the Iberpotash company, 900 meters deep. Iberpotash is part of ICL Iberia, a subsidiary of the ICL Group, headquartered in Israel.

The Generalitat fire department received the message at 8:53 a.m. and they expect it to last “between two and six o’clock” to remove the bodies. For that they have to make props and remove runes.

That’s what the same sources say “not included or provided” That no other worker came out injured or was trapped by the landslide in the mine.

In addition to the fire brigade, the emergency services in the area work together with the mine emergency services. The Mossos d’Esquadra and resources of the Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) were also present.

In a press conference at the scene of the accident, the Minister of Trade and Labor, Roger torrent, explained that the Mining Department carries out an “exhaustive and periodic check” of the mines in Catalonia and that three weeks ago they inspected those of Cabanasses in Súria, without opening any file. The Minister of the Interior, Joan Ignasi ElenaFor his part, he has assured that they have opened an investigation to determine the causes and that they will submit the findings to the competent court.

However, union sources They have pointed out to EFE that “security measures are not what they should be”.

The President of the Generalitat, Pere Aragones, expressed his “support for the families of those affected and all his colleagues” at the beginning of the monitoring session in the Parliament of Catalonia. “We work from the emergency services and support the company’s own services, which are also involved in this tragic accident,” he said.

Second fatal accident at the Súria mine

This is the second fatal accident in the potash mine of Cabanasses, in the municipality of Súria. On December 6, 2013, two miners died from a landslide in a mine gallery while working on night shift repair and maintenance work on machinery.