2009 Handlová mine blast
Encyclopedia
Handlová
Handlová is a town in the Prievidza District, Trenčín Region in the middle of Slovakia. It is made up of the three parts Handlová, Nová Lehota and Morovno.-Geography:...
coal mine, Trenčín Region
Trencín Region
The Trenčín Region is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions. It consists of 9 districts .-Geography:It is located in the north-western Slovakia, has an area of 4,502 km² and a population of 600,386 . The Danubian Lowland reaches the region to Nové Mesto nad Váhom and Partizánske areas...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, on the morning of 10 August 2009. Twenty people were killed, nine others suffered minor injuries and were taken to a hospital. All are thought to be Slovaks. The incident is the deadliest mining disaster in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
's history since the country's independence in 1993. Only 12 people had been killed while mining in Slovakia during the previous twelve years.
The incident happened in an old underground shaft belonging to Hornonitrianske Bane Prievidza, a.s., the largest mining company in Slovakia, located at approximately 330 metres (1,082.7 ft). Contact was said to have been lost at around 9:30 in the morning on 10 August 2009. Nine of the dead were fighting a fire backed up by eleven reinforcements which had broken out when the explosion occurred. Gases which the fire released caused the explosion to occur as the men fought the flames. Six bodies were quickly recovered. Three more bodies were recovered afterwards. Relatives have gathered to see the bodies of their loved ones be recovered.
The Slovakian Government
Government of Slovakia
The Government of the Slovak Republic is the executive branch of government in Slovakia.It is led by a prime minister , who is nominated by the president, and is usually a leader of majority party or of a majority coalition after an election to the National Council of the Slovak Republic...
met at an extraordinary session on 11 August 2009. Prime Minister Robert Fico
Robert Fico
Robert Fico served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia from July 4, 2006 to July 8, 2010.He is the leader of the left-wing party Direction – Social Democracy . The party won the parliamentary elections in 2006, receiving approximately 30 percent of the cast votes...
declared an official day of mourning for the following day and gave orders for an investigation into the incident to take place, calling it "a huge tragedy". State flags were lowered at half mast during the mourning period. It was the fourth national day of mourning in Slovakia's history and the first since a killer bus crash
2009 Slovak coach and train collision
The Brezno train accident was a train accident which occurred close to Brezno, Slovakia, on 21 February 2009, when a train collided with a tourist coach on a level crossing. Twelve people were killed and at least twenty people were injured in the crash. All of the deaths and injuries occurred on...
in February 2009. Relatives of the victims will also be compensated by the government. Most people in the town of Handlová, which has a population of 18,000, know someone who works in the mine. A black flag hung in the town after the incident as the townspeople remembered the victims.
Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Ukraine
The Prime Minister of Ukraine is Ukraine's head of government presiding over the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, which is the highest body of the executive branch of the Ukrainian government....
Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Tymoshenko
Yulia Volodymyrivna Tymoshenko , née Grigyan , born 27 November 1960, is a Ukrainian politician. She was the Prime Minister of Ukraine from 24 January to 8 September 2005, and again from 18 December 2007 to 4 March 2010. She placed third in Forbes Magazine's List of The World's 100 Most Powerful...
sent a telegram of condolence: "I wish to share the pain of loss as Ukraine has experienced similar catastrophes not once. On behalf of the Government
Government of Ukraine
Government of Ukraine is often associated with the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. However it should be considered that Ukraine is a country under a semi-presidential system with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government...
and from me personally I ask to retell the words of compassion and support to the families and relatives of the deceased miners".
The incident happened near Nováky
Nováky
Nováky is a town in the Prievidza District, Trenčín Region in western Slovakia. Nováky Power Plant, a thermal power plant is located near the town.The town is one of the centres of brown coal mining in Slovakia.-Geography:...
where four miners were killed by a shaft collapse in 2006.